Squash, Lentil and Apricot One-Pot Stew

Ingredients

• 2 onions  
• 2 celery stalks  
• 4 cloves garlic  
• 350 g/12 oz butternut squash  
• 10 dried apricots  
• 1 x 400 g/14 oz can chickpeas/garbanzo beans  
• 170 g/6 oz/1 cup dried split red lentils  
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil  
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin/jeera  
• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander  
• 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika  
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon  
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger  
• 720 ml/24 fl oz/3 cups water (plus 120 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup extra if needed later)  
• ¼ teaspoon saffron strands (optional)  
• pinch of sugar  
• 2 tablespoons just-boiled water  
• 500 ml/17 fl oz/2 cups vegetable stock (made from 1 stock cube)  
• 1 x 400 g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes  
• 45 g/1½ oz/ ¼ cup white basmati rice  
• sea salt and black pepper  

To finish and garnish 

• large handful of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves (optional)  
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the flatbreads/toast  
• juice of ½ lemon  
• dried chilli/hot pepper flakes  

Method

First prepare the ingredients. Finely dice the onions and celery. Mince the garlic. Peel, deseed and dice the butternut squash into small chunks. Halve the dried apricots. Rinse and drain the chickpeas/garbanzo beans and set aside. Rinse and drain the red lentils and set aside. Finely chop the fresh coriander/cilantro (for the finish/garnish).  

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot on a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. 

Add the celery, garlic and all the spices apart from the saffron. Fry for 2 minutes.  

Boil the 720ml/24 fl oz/3 cups of water in a kettle. Add the lentils and this boiling water to the pan. Cover and cook until softened, about 12 minutes.  

Grind the saffron strands (if using) with the sugar in a pestle and mortar. Add the 2 tablespoons of just-boiled water and leave to steep.  

When the lentils are soft, add the squash, saffron, chickpeas/garbanzo beans, apricots, vegetable stock, tomatoes, rice, ¾ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to the pan. Stir to combine.  

Cover and simmer on a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash is completely cooked and beginning to melt into the stew. This will take 25-30 minutes.  Add the extra 120ml/4 fl oz/½ cup (boiling) water if the stew is dry. While the stew is cooking, you can clean down and set the table.  

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add most of the chopped coriander/cilantro and the olive oil to finish.  

Taste and season as needed with the lemon juice and more salt and black pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining coriander/cilantro and some chilli/hot pepper flakes.  

Serve with flatbreads or toasted sourdough, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.  

The flavours improve after the stew has rested overnight (in the refrigerator, then reheat to serve) and it also freezes well so is ideal for batch cooking.