AI-generated photo.
Eritrean · Eritrea
Red lentil stew
Also called Tsebhi birsen
Red lentil stew, a dish from Eritrea (Tsebhi birsen).
Pai editors’ mark 4 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
Red lentil stew is cooked in Eritrea as its own dish. The lentils should break into the sauce. Paprika is the heat and the color. Amounts are scaled for four from foods this library can count, so the nutrition panel comes from those ingredients.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
85
Health score
Light & nourishing
Healthy
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 18%
- Carbs 55%
- Fat 26%
Suits · Diabetes-friendly
Sugar, fiber, and the starch mix sit in a gentler range. Your own portion still decides the day.
Suits · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium stay modest, with some fiber.
Watch · Weight loss
Calories, protein, or richness make this a fuller plate than a light day wants.
Watch · High protein
Protein is about 13.5 g, under the 25 g mark.
Suits · Low sodium
About 398 mg of sodium, under the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Suits · Dairy-free
No milk ingredients in the required list.
Suits · Vegan
No meat, fish, egg, dairy, honey, or gelatin in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Watch · Gentle when sick
The heat is more than a gentle bowl wants.
Watch · Kid-friendly
The heat is above a mild mark.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Dry red lentils179 kcal
- Olive oil62 kcal
- Yellow onion18 kcal
- Tomato14 kcal
- Garlic4 kcal
- Cayenne2 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 14.8. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving, as written, is about 281 kcal.
Allergens. None flagged in the required list.
Make it healthier
Serve three-quarters of the plate
The ingredient mix stays the same. Calories are three-quarters of the counted serving.
About 211 kcal after the change.
Use half the kosher salt and brighten the plate with lemon or lime.
The same dish with less sodium. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Stir in a handful of spinach or cabbage near the end.
More fiber without a new sauce. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 281 kcal | 14% |
| Protein | 13.5 g | 27% |
| Carbohydrate | 40.4 g | 15% |
| Fiber | 7.5 g | 27% |
| Total sugars | 5.1 g | 10% |
| Fat | 8.5 g | 11% |
| Saturated fat | 1.2 g | 6% |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 398 mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 623 mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 50 mg | 4% |
| Iron | 4.2 mg | 23% |
| Magnesium | 45 mg | 11% |
| Zinc | 2.1 mg | 19% |
| Vitamin A | 58 mcg | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 16.5 mg | 18% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 1.7 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin K | 12 mcg | 10% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.3 mg | 27% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 8% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.4 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.4 mg | 22% |
| Folate | 123 mcg | 31% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% |
These figures follow the USDA-linked ingredient table where a safe FoodData Central row exists. Optional ingredients are left out. A few pantry items still use Pai's curated numbers because no close USDA row was found. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- Sodium stays in a comfortable range.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Dry red lentils1 cup200 g
Yellow onion1 onion180 g
Tomato3 tomatoes320 g
Garlic4 cloves12 g
Sweet paprika1 tsp2 g
Cayenne1 tsp2 g
Olive oil2 tbsp30.77 ml
Kosher salt1 tsp4 g
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Use half the kosher salt and brighten the plate with lemon or lime.. The same dish with less sodium.
- Stir in a handful of spinach or cabbage near the end.. More fiber without a new sauce.
Method
AI-generated photo.
1Set a heavy pot over medium heat. For Red lentil stew, start here: the lentils should break into the sauce.
AI-generated photo.
2The lentils should break into the sauce. Paprika is the heat and the color.
Cook 30 min
AI-generated photo.
3The liquid should be quiet and the center tender. Stop when this is true of Red lentil stew: The lentils should break into the sauce. Paprika is the heat and the color.
AI-generated photo.
4Ladle it into warm bowls. Red lentil stew is eaten in Eritrea as this plate, with the sauce or garnish that belongs to it.
How you know it is done
Red lentil stew is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Red lentil stew looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Red lentil stew spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Red lentil stew, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- Red lentil stew is cooked by simmer in Eritrea. The steps follow that technique, including the timing above.
- Every ingredient is weighed, so the fiber, fat, and salt on the panel match this plate.
Notes
Pregnancy. There is no alcohol in the required list. Wash produce and use pasteurized dairy if you add it.
Allergens in the required list: none flagged.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.