Ingredient ! 2-3 tablespoon oil. 1 red onion, diced. 1 bell pepper, diced. 3 tomatoes, diced. 6 garlic cloves, minced. 2 teaspoon cumin. 1 teaspoon achiote powder or ground achiote. 4 teaspoon chopped cilantro. 7 cups of water. 1 lb lentils, rinsed. Salt to taste. Green or ripe plantain .
Preparation ! Heat the oil on medium heat in a large sauce pan or cooking pot. Add the onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, cumin, salt, achiote and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro to make a refrito for the stew. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the ingredients have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the water and increase heat to bring water to boil. Add the lentils and reduce the heat to medium low, cover partially and cook until the lentils are tender. Taste and add salt if needed, stir in the remaining 2 tbs of cilantro, and remove from the heat. Serve with Ecuadorian style cooked rice, carne asada o carne frita, fried ripe plantains or fried green plantains, and a small salad or avocado slices