Not only is this dish easy to throw together in a pinch, but the flavor of these spices is amazing! Enjoy it with butternut squash when pumpkins aren’t in stock. If you have a favorite berbere spice blend, you can substitute 2-3 tablespoons in place of the dried spices below. And if you don’t have all of the spices below on hand, don’t worry, it will still be delicious.
4 cups pumpkin, chunked or diced
3 cups dry green lentils, rinsed
2 red onions, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 16-oz. bag frozen spinach (or 4-6 cups fresh)
12 cups water or veggie stock
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground fenugreek
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Add all of the ingredients to a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the lentils and pumpkin are tender. Add additional water or vegetable stock to reach desired consistency.
Photo by Robin Saul