vegan
gluten freePrep the vegetables
Rinse the French green lentils under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain them well. Peel and dice the onion, bell pepper, and potatoes into small, even pieces; if you are using it, dice the celery to match. Slice the garlic thinly and keep everything together so it is easy to add to the pot.
Cook the base
Set a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic with a splash of water, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Stir in ground coriander, ground fennel, ground anise, ground white pepper, chili flakes, and the tomato paste, and keep stirring for 2 minutes until the paste darkens and the spices smell fragrant.
Simmer the stew
Pour in the crushed canned tomatoes, the lentils, the remaining water, the vegetable bouillon paste, the bay leaves, and the potatoes. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer partially covered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if needed, until the lentils and potatoes are tender and the stew looks thick and glossy.
Finish and serve
Fish out the bay leaves. Finely zest the lemon over the pot, squeeze in the juice, then taste and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon the lentils into bowls and serve hot.
