A las, the seasons are changing. As much as I love Montreal autumn, I’ve unfortunately succumbed to the inevitable fall semester plague — my small-town immune system did not get the memo that wehave moved to the big city.

In addition to popping vitamin C pills and wearing an absurd amount of layers for mid-September, another one of my tried-and-true strategies for coping with the cold is my dad’s infamous of lentil stew, or adasi in Farsi. Whether you’re also struggling through the cold with me or in pristine health, I guarantee that your quality of life will be greatly improved by this recipe.

Ingredients (3 servings)

800g dried green lentils
800 ml water
1/2 medium onion
1/2 medium turnip/rutabaga/ potato (optional)

turmeric
salt & pepper olive oil

Recipe

Wash your lentils thoroughly, and strain through a sieve. Dice the onion and grate the turnip/ rutabaga (if desired). If using a potato, chop into cubes.

Heat up a saucepan to medium and add olive oil. When hot, add onions with turmeric and fry until golden. Add your lentils, water, and root vegetable of choice, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours*.

*If you soak your lentils beforehand or use canned lentils, it will take less time to cook. If you are lucky enough to have a pressure cooker handy, my dad says you can just “throw everything in the pot and cook it for 20 minutes”.