Caribbean Lentil and Veggie Stew

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Caribbean Lentil and Veggie Stew

Caribbean stews provide a great way to incorporate a variety of foods with different nutritional benefits, including ground provisions (foods that grow in the ground such as sweet potatoes and yams) to herbs and spices native to the islands. Traditionally, a stew would include a milk such a coconut milk to add that creamy thickness, however with the rise in conditions such as diabetes amongst many individuals from these cultural backgrounds, many are looking for alternatives to create dishes that provide the flavours that they are custom to with additional benefits to manage their health. Oat milk provides a great alternative to these traditional cooking methods. Big ups to Chef Sharon Gardner for this delicious recipe. 

Ingredients

Serves 4

500 millilitres of oat milk*

200-300grams of Caribbean or seasonal veggies, chopped into bite size pieces - carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin or squash, sweet peppers. 

100 grams of lentils or choice rinsed well and soaked for at least 1 hour

100 grams of greens rinsed well and chopped small if needed - spinach, callaloo, spring greens, winter greens, kale etc.

2 tablespoons of tomato puree 

2 teaspoons of oil, (olive oil etc.)

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

3 sprigs fresh thyme, rinsed or 1 teaspoon of dried thyme

4-5 pimento/all spice berries crushed

Optional - fresh coriander

Bay leaf  

1 teaspoon/5grams jerk paste to your taste preference (optional)

1 tablespoon of cornflour with a little water to make a slurry to thicken if needed. (optional)

Method

1. Prepare the ingredients as above, making sure you have rinsed and soaked the lentils for at least an hour (preferably overnight if time permits) beforehand.

2. Heat the oil in a large enough pot then add the onions, garlic, thyme, pimento berries and bay leaf to the pot and cook for a few minutes, next add your chopped veggies of choice and cook for a few more minutes.

3. Now add the tomato puree and jerk paste if using and mix through, followed by the lentils and mix through to ensure it is coated in the seasonings.

4. Now add the oat milk and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat, place the lid on top, and cook for about 20- 25 minutes until the lentils are tender and the water has reduced down into a thick sauce. Add the cornflour slurry if needed to help thicken the stew and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

5. Now add your choice of greens and mix through and leave to wilt into the sauce for about 5 minutes replacing the lid and turning off the heat. 

*We enjoyed using Glebe Farm oat milk in this recipe for it's creamy taste and texture.