B'H

I know it is a little early in the parshas now, but I want to share this recipe.

"Jacob simmered a stew, and Esau came in f rom the field and he was exhausted. Esau said to Jacob ."Pour into me now some of that very red (red,red) stuff for I am exhausted." (He therefore called his name Edom.)
Jacob said, "Sell, as this day, your birthright to me."
And Esau said."Look I am going to die so of what use to mme is a birthright?"
Jacob said. "Swear to me as this day"> he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, got up and left; thus, Esau spurned the birthright." Genesis 25:31-34

Abraham had died and Jacob had prepared lentil stew which was the traditional mourners meal.



Here is a lentil stew recipe I have been making since I was a teenager. I just want to share it with you.



Red, Red Lentil Stew


Oil

1 large Onion, chopped

Carrots, as many as you like (about 5). Chunked or sliced

1 large can(28oz) of whole Tomatoes, broken up by hand.

1 pound of Lentils (about 2 cups), washed

4 (tomato can)s of water, about 14 cups


Optional: hard cheese, grated, in the bottom of the bowl

In a large soup pot, Saute the onion and carrots in oil, for a short time. Add lentils and tomatoes. Add water. Boil or simmer for at least 45 mins, until lentils are soft.

It is important not to add too much water as it decreases the flavor.

If you can get red lentils than use those, but i can only get normal lentils, but I think the tomatoes and carrots make the stew red, red since the tomatoes are red and the carrots are reddish, and the red is what gives it the flavor.


Serve with bread.



Kol Tuv!


If you have a special lentil stew recipe, feel free to add it.

What about lentil stew? Is it still, to this day, a traditional mourners meal? And if so, is it O.K. to eat it at other times?

I think people tend to have hard boiled eggs (like we do on the eve of the 9th Av and also on Seder Night to remind us that whatever day of the week is the first day of Pesach is also the same day as the 9th Av) and/or chickpeas. And just as we are permitted to eat eggs and chickpeas at other times, so we are permitted to eat lentil soup whenever we wish.

Yes, I know about the eggs. But I wasn't aware of the chick peas. Is it because they are round?

If this recipe sounds more like soup to you then stew, then add less water. But not less than 3 cans, (10-12 c), I think. With 4 cans it is a thinner stew, or very thick soup. And the water always dries up as it is cooked longer.

quote:

Originally posted by Raybin:
Yes, I know about the eggs. But I wasn't aware of the chick peas. Is it because they are round?

Yes. The roundness represents the cycle of life.