I called this a stew, but I'm not sure what it really should be called. It makes a good potluck dish; it's quick to prepare, uses a minimum of pots, and tastes pretty good.

It's best to have the veggies all sliced and ready to cook before starting the bean cooking.

Bring the lentils and the water to a boil in a large saucepan, then reduce to a simmer. Keep an eye on the clock; 10 minutes later, add the carrots, return to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes longer.

While the lentils are cooking, start sauteing the onion to translucency, using balsamic vinegar as the liquid. Add the mushrooms and tamari. Add to the lentil/carrot mixture. Add the spices. (I added a few coriander seeds to the onions while I sauted. Wasn't hot enough to get them to pop, though.)

(The lentils have simmered a total of 15 minutes by now.)

Add the bulgur [and celery], and simmer for 5-10 minutes. The water should be absorbed by now, so be careful about burning it. I transferred it to a 10 x 10 x 2" Corning dish for serving.

This much food keeps good and warm on the way to a potluck. It came off the stove just as I left, dirty dishes in the sink, and all. :-) It was warm enough about 45 minutes later when we ate. It also reheats well in the microwave.

Serves:
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