Red Lentil Stew

Heat the oven to 425ºF. Spread 2 tablespoons vegetable oil on a rimmed baking sheet and put it in the oven. Rinse, trim, and peel the parsnips; cut them into 2- to 3-inch spears. Carefully spread them out in a single layer on the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and return the pan to the oven. Roast, undisturbed, until they’re golden and release easily from the pan using a spatula, 8 to 12 minutes. Once they can be turned, toss them every 5 minutes until they’re tender and browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove the pan from the oven.

Peel the ginger; chop the ginger and garlic. Rinse the lentils in a colander and pick them over, removing anything that doesn’t look like it belongs there. Put a large pot over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and the sesame oil. When it’s hot, add the cardamom, mustard seeds, and cloves and cook, stirring frequently until the mustard seeds start to pop, less than 1 minute. Add the ginger, garlic, and cranberries and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add 3 cups water, the chile, the lentils, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat so it bubbles gently. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until the lentils are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer and transfer it to a small pot with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Cook, undisturbed, until the grains are tender and all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and taste and adjust the seasoning. Rinse and dry the cilantro; remove any tough stems and chop the leaves to make as much as you’d like for garnish (save the rest for another use). Remove the cloves and cardamom pods from the lentils and taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the lentils over a scoop of the quinoa with the parsnips on the side, garnished with cilantro.