Indian-Style Lentils with Spinach

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch rings
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup lentils
• ½ cup water
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach

Step 1

Gently heat some oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook it gently, stirring often, until it starts to turn golden and soft—this should take about 10 minutes. Then, toss in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until you can smell that lovely aroma.

Step 2

Stir in the chicken broth, lentils, half a cup of water, crushed garlic, and all the spices—coriander, salt, cumin, chili powder, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, cayenne pepper, and a bay leaf. Bring everything to a boil, then cover the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer gently for around 35 minutes, or until the lentils are nice and tender.

Step 3

While the lentils cook, put the spinach in a microwave-safe bowl with a quarter cup of water. Microwave it for about 5 minutes, give it a good stir, and then heat it for another 5 minutes until it's fully warmed through. Let it sit for a few minutes to cool down a bit, then drain any excess water and squeeze out as much moisture as you can.

Step 4

Finally, mix the spinach into the lentils, cover the pot again, and let everything simmer together for about 10 more minutes so the flavors blend and it’s heated through. Serve warm and enjoy!