The summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college, my mom tried to teach me how to cook as I was moving off campus and would no longer have a meal plan. This was the first and only recipe she guided me through. My impatient 19 year old self was frustrated by having to take instructions from my mom again (sorry mom!) and my inability to chop vegetables efficiently.
When I went back to school, I promptly ate a month or two of PB&J and PB&Banana sandwiches, but eventually came back to this easy and delicious recipe. Now cooking is one of my favorite things to do, and this dish is one I have made for many dinner guests. As what seems to be a recurring theme in life, I should’ve listened to my mom earlier.
The mellow vibes of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg and the heartiness of russet and sweet potatoes come together to make this Moroccan Stew a perfect cold weather dish. It is also great for family and friends who might not be the biggest fans of spiciness (@ my fam).
Ingredients
Spices:
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Feel free to increase amounts of any spices you are particularly fond of. I typically go heavy on the cinnamon, nutmeg and curry powder.
Everything else:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 thing of kale (I just grab a fresh bunch at the grocery store) chopped
- 2 cans chickpeas, drained
- 2 cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 2 (or 3) cups dried lentils, rinsed
- Enough water to cover everything (or vegetable broth)
Directions
- Combine all spices in a bowl. Take a sniff of the mixture, it’s an awesome combo.
- Warm up coconut or olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Cook the onion in the oil until soft/golden brown (5 to 10 minutes). Stir in kale and spice mixture, cook until kale begins to wilt and spices are fragrant (maybe 1 or 2 minutes).
- Pour all the other shit into the pot (chickpeas, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, lentils) and pour enough water/broth in to just barely cover everything. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until vegetables are cooked, stirring occasionally for roughly 30 minutes (I usually grab a chunk of potato and try it, if it’s too hard keep cooking).
- Serve over brown rice (I typically make 3 cups dry. See Sweet Potato Chili recipe for rice cooking instructions.)
Moroccan Stew will last for about a week in the fridge, and longer if you freeze it so it’s great for meal prepping for the week. If you would like any further guidance I’m happy to answer any questions!
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