After trekking through coffee country, we stumbled upon a roadside stand with an abuela preparing some savory-smelling lunch. We were served a variation of this lentil dish and asked her how she had prepared it. We have approximated due to language barrier and have already wowed some fellow travellers with the result. Boil lentils alone in water and salt until tender. In a separate pan, saute chopped garlic and onion with oil. When slightly browned, add chopped tomates, shredded carrots, and various spices. Add drained lentils with a cup or so of water and let simmer until it tastes good or until people are too hungry to wait. La abuela also braised her meat in this concoction, which added a whole new level of yummy. Try it if you like, or add beef stock for a similar flavor. For coconut rice, simply boil one cup of water and one cup of coconut milk, add rice and cook as you normally do. For freshest results, we bought a coconut, opened it with a wine key, and drained the juice straight into the pot.
Home Cook Book