Vegan lentil gravy. Gravy with some subsistence.

This is adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's punk rock chickpea gravy recipe.  It is from the cookbook Vegan with a Vengeance, which Bower House had and I fully recommend!  I located the recipe on Tofu Mom's Blog. The vegan comfort foods presented on this blog sound fabulous! 

I've sort of adapted the recipe over time...  because the recipe makes way too much gravy for one person and lentils are more gravy like than chickpeas.  Generally I only want to have enough left overs for one or two days... not the rest of the week... how much mashed potatoes can a person eat? Also you don't need flour because the lentils thicken.

1 1/4 cup water
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, quartered and sliced thin
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 1/2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed OR 3/4 cup lentils pre soaked (green, brown, or french)
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch paprika
1/2 pinch dried coriander
1/2 pinch dried rosemary
1/2 pinch dried thyme
1/2 pinch dried oregano
OR forgo the rosemary, thyme, and oregano... go with some poultry seasoning! 
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce OR a veggie bouillon cube
1/2 lemon, juice of  OR 1 tablespoon sherry
1/8 cup nutritional yeast
additional water, if needed

Saute 1/2 a medium/small onion and mustard seeds in a splash of oil, add garlic when they are near translucent. If you want to leave out the oil and/or save time, just put the onion, mustard seeds, and garlic in with the water and lentils from the get go!  Add 3/4 cup of lentils to 1 1/4 cup water.  Add some poultry seasoning and/or some of the spices they suggest in the original recipe. You know how I feel about poultry seasoning?  I love poultry seasoning. Cook covered and stirring occasionally until you have a nice soft lentils.  half an hour to an hour.  Add water if it gets too dry.  When you have soft lentils.  When the lentils are cooked [mushy/soft] and NOT before. Add a veggie bouillon cube (more flavorful than soy sauce). I like a tablespoon of Sherry.  What can I say?  Me likes wine.  If you do too... cook another few minutes to cook out the alcohol.  If you decide against sherry, you are making the wrong choice, but can use the lemon juice to add acidity.  And add nutritional yeast as desired. I find what I like about nutritional yeast is its salty and creamy quality.   At this point give it a good stir and a taste, you might decide you want to add a splash of soy sauce, braggs, or salt.  Blend in a blender if desired.  Add water to desired consistency.  I like thicker gravy.

As a side note.  I would never do it, because I'm not a fan of such things.  But you could add some finely diced mushrooms and green bell peppers for some flavor.   

Enjoy.