Tum'tumo (Lentils in a Savory Sauce)

A dish from Eritrea!

Servings: about 4-6

* 2 cups lentils
* 6-1/2 cups water
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 3 tsp olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp hot sauce
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 1 can tomato paste
* 2 cloves garlic, chopped

1. Bring lentils to boil in 6 cups of water. Simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Saute onion in oil until browned. Add salt, hot sauce, tomato paste, & 1/2 cup water. Simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Add garlic & lentils. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve.

Senegalese Stew with Millet

Time: about 1 hour
Servings: 4

* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 2 cups chopped cabbage
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 2 cloves garlic
* 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
* 1/2 tsp curry powder
* 1/4 tps thyme
* 14.5 oz canned tomatoes
* 1 cup vegetable stock
* 2 tbsp peanut butter
* 2 cups cubed sweet potato
* 1-1/2 cups cubed rutabega
* 1 cup sliced carrots
* 1 cup cooked chickpeas
* 2 cups cooked millet

1. In a 3 quart sauce pan heat the oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add the cabbage, onion & garlic. Cook, stirring until the cabbage is softened.

3. Stir in the red pepper, curry powder, & thyme. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the spoon.

4. Add the broth & peanut butter. Stir until completely smooth.

5. Add the potato, rutabega, carrot, & chickpeas.

6. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 35 minutes.

7. Serve over millet.

Complete Jollof Rice

This recipe is from the country of Benin.

Serves: 8 people

* 1 cup dry black-eyed peas
*2 medium-sized eggplants
*1 1/2 tbs oil
*3 tbs ginger root, grated or minced
*2 peppers of your choice (I used Anaheims), roasted with the seeds removed, chopped
*8 tomatoes
*2 tsp cayenne
*2 tps curry powder
*Tabasco sauce to taste
*12 cups of water
*1 tsp salt
*2 large onions, chopped
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 green bell pepper, chopped
*1 1/2 tbs tomato paste
*1 lb carrots
*1/2 lb green beans
* 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

1. In a large pot, soak the black-eyed peas overnight in 4 cups of water.

2. Drain & replace with 8 cups of fresh water, & simmer peas for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving water for cooking.

3. Meanwhile, roast the peppers, as mentioned above. I cooked mine in the oven.

4. Slice the eggplant into rounds about 1/2 inch thick and place in a colander. Salt and let them drain for 5 minutes.

5. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add eggplant, 1 tbs chopped onion, 1 tbs grated ginger, 1 chopped pepper, 1 clove garlic, & the bell pepper. Cook, stirring until the eggplant is browned, for about 5 minutes. Remove eggplant & set aside.

6. Add remaining onion, ginger, pepper, garlic, reserved water, tomatoes, tomato paste, cayenne, & curry, stirring them all together. Add hot sauce to taste. Simmer 10 minutes, uncovered.

7. Add black-eyed peas, carrots, & rice. Simmer another 5 minutes.

8. Add green beans & eggplant & simmer 15 minutes more, still uncovered.

9. Finally, cover & simmer another 20 minutes.