Lenten Lentils, Oaxacan-style

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3/4 cup dried lentils
• 4 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1/2 onion, halved (so it's in quarters)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 plantain, peeled and chopped
• 10 ounces cans unsweetened pineapple slices, cut into chunks
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled,seeded and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon clove
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

Recipe

• 1 bring lentils and water to a boil, with 2 halved garlic cloves and 1/2 onion.
• 2 reduce heat, then cover and simmer over low heat about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy.
• 3 drain and reserve lentil cooking liquid.
• 4 at this point, i like to fish out the garlic halves but leave the onion, which breaks down in the lentils.
• 5 season with salt.
• 6 heat oil in large saucepan and saute chopped onion and the 2 minced garlic cloves until onion is soft.
• 7 add plantain, pineapple and tomatoes; cook until plantain is soft, anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
• 8 add lentils and some reserved lentil cooking liquid.
• 9 continue cooking until mixture thickens a little; add more cooking liquid or even some vegetable or chicken broth if necessary so lentils aren't dry.
• 10 serve garnished with fried plantain slices.