Squash, Lentil & Bean Stew with with Fig Raita

This is an an easy-to-prepare vegetarian dish bursting with flavor and “one pot meals” score high on my favorite list.  The fewer dishes I need to clean at the end of the meal, the more likely it is that I will visit a recipe again!

One-pot meals are perfect as mid-week comfort food. They’re nice and easy to prepare, with minimum fuss, and even less clean up. With all of the ingredients stewing together, one-pot meals are often packed full of flavor as the seasonings will marry well. The Food Network claims that the one pot meal is perfect for those times that you don’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen.  Many one pot meals also make excellent make-ahead meals, my favorite are the “set it and forget it” one pot dinners that you can leave bubbling away for a while. 

Today, I am sharing a nice vegetarian recipe that is rich in protein from it’s lentils and beans.  It’s served with a fig raita, a condiment that is usually made from spiced yogurt.  Keeping true my mantra of cooking from the pantry, I went with figs for a fruity and refreshing compliment to the one pot stew.  Raita is often made with a touch of cumin which is a big favorite of mine and the addition of figs creates a tangy and sweet sauce. 

When selecting a wine to pair with this dish you want to take into account the texture of the lentils and the squash. Marks & Spencer’s wine expert, Chris Murphy, says that while a great bottle of wine and a great dish usually means a great dinner experience, some wines still go best with others. “A really basic rule of thumb is to try and match textures of the food and wines,” he says. “For example smoked salmon with lemon normally pairs well with light, racy and refreshing Sauvignons; the creamy texture of turkey meat is can be enhanced by a rich concentrated Chardonnay.”

This dish is creamy and rich which makes it perfect for a crisp and flavorful fruity sparkling wine. 

Squash, Lentil & Bean One-Pot Meal

To make the one-pot, gather the following ingredients: 

• 1 lb of diced butternut squash 
• 1 sliced onion 
• 1 tbsp of olive oil 
• 1 tsp of ground cumin 
• 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes 
• 12oz can chopped tomatoes including the juice
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 
• 2 cups kidney beans, drained and rinsed 

Start by frying the squash and onions in the oil until the squash softens up and the onion becomes translucent. This should take about 5 to 8 minutes. Next, season with cumin and chilli, and stir gently for about a minute.

Add the tomatoes, the lentils, and the red wine vinegar, and let the whole pot simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 

After 10 minutes, add the kidney beans. Cook for a few more minutes until the lentils are tender and the beans have heated through. 

Fig Raita

• 1/2 cup soft figs 
• ·1/2 cup vegan yogurt
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley 

To make the raita, dice the figs and finely chop the parsley, then mix all the ingredients well.