Moroccan Lentil Stew with Naan

Last week I pulled what I thought was a ham bone out of my freezer, intending to make ham n' beans with cornbread.  Turns out it was a lamb bone, so I made Moroccan lentil stew and naan (a Middle Eastern flatbread) instead.  I always save bones.  They make the most fantastic stocks, far tastier (and more nutritious) than anything you can get in the store.  Plus, when is the last time you saw canned lamb broth at the super market?  Also, I swear some day I'll get a fancy camera that takes gorgeous pictures.

For the stew, you first need to get your bone simmering for the broth.  I like to put mine on first thing in the morning, so it has most of the day to simmer.  The longer it cooks, the better it tastes, plus, you'll get more vitamins and minerals out of it.  Just plop your bone into your pot (I'm using my cast iron dutch over here) and cover it with water.  Add some salt, and you can add a bay leaf and some beef boullion if you'd like, but they're not absolutely necessary.  Lamb is a strong flavor so the lamb bone can stand pretty well on its own.  You can also add in a splash of vinegar (I use raw apple cider vinegar) to help leech more minerals out of the bone.  Bring it to a boil, skim off the foam, turn the heat down, cover, and simmer. 

Isn't it beautiful?  And the chef gets to pick the meat off the bone in my house.

For the rest of the stew you'll need-

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 diced carrots
Some fresh grated ginger (about a one inch cube) or 1/2 tsp of ground
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 cup of lentils, rinsed and sorted (red lentils are fabulous, but green work just fine, that's what I used here)
1 tsp garam masala (and indian spice mixture, if you don't have any, just add a little extra of the other spices, and add in 1/2 tsp of cinnamon)
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the bone.  If you'd like, you can saute the veggies in some olive oil before adding them to the pot, but you don't have to.  I just dump it all in, bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the veggies are tender.  I love lentils.  Besides tasting amazing and being good for you, they don't need a lengthy soaking process.  Just sort, rinse, and add to the pot!

Completely delicious.  Comfort food is comfort food, whether it's American or Indian, and what's more filling and comforting than a big bowl of stew and bread?

Now for the naan.  Like so many foods, that means many things to many different people.  Naan is traditionally baked, but the recipe I use is grilled/pan fried. 

1 packet yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp if you're using jarred yeast, as I do)
1tbsp sugar
1 cup hot water
3 tbsp milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsps salt
4 1/2 cups of flour
optional- 2 cloves of minced garlic

Add the yeast and sugar to the hot water.  Let it stand for 10 minutes (make sure you put it in a largish container, you're proofing it and it should double in size).  In a large bowl, combine the four, milk, egg, salt.  Add in the yeast and water mixture and the garlic if you want to add it, and knead until it's nice and smooth (again, I use my KitchenAid mixer with the kneading attachment- loooooove it!)  Form it into a ball, drizzle with olive oil (about a tbsp) and roll your yeast ball around in the oil.  Cover the bowl and put it in a warm, draft free place. I like to turn my oven on low for just a few minutes and then turn it off before putting the dough in, gives it a nice, warm environment.  After the  dough has doubled (about an hour) punch it down to deflate, knead it a bit, and then form it in to balls about the size of an egg.  Put them on a pan, cover and let them rise again.

Let them rise for about half an hour, then start rolling them out on a floured surface.  You want them nice and thin so they get the distinctive bubbles naan usually has.

An indoor griddle or grill would be best for these, but I managed to squeeze them into my cast-iron skillet.  Cook them a few minutes on each side.  Brush with some melted butter or ghee (clarified butter often used in Indian cooking).  Delicious.

 If you manage to keep your family from devouring it, wrap them in aluminum foil to keep them warm and flexible until you're ready to serve them.  If it's going to be awhile, you might want to also pop them into a slightly warm oven.