Squash and chickpea stew

This meal is an unexpected success after watching a terrible movie. I hate to waste my time so in the heat of the debate over cinematic issues I happened to overspice and reinvent this receipt from River Cottage. The photos are not convincing but the taste is amazing!

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

2 large onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped/crushed

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon chilli flakes

150g red lentils

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

8 saffron strands, crushed with 1 teaspoon of salt

+ 2 teaspoon salt for seasoning

250 ml tomato sauce + about 100ml water

A good handful of parsley, roughly chopped

A large bunch of coriander, roughly chopped

300g squash or pumpkin

1 litre vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

100g vermicelli, orzo or other small pasta

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until just starting to turn golden. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, celery, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. Sauté for a couple of minutes.

2. Now add the lentils, chickpeas, saffron, tomato sauce (with water), parsley and about half the coriander. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, peel and deseed the squash or pumpkin and cut into large cubes. Add to the pan with the stock and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer until it is cooked. Season with salt (about 2 teaspoons) and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately, scattered with the remaining coriander leaves.