The sauce in this lentil vegetable stew, is thickened with chickpea flour,and then seasoned with soy sauce, brown sugar and savory spices. It makes a rich, thick satisfying gravy for the stew.
I listed only soy sauce as the salty taste. You may want to experiment with soy sauce and salt in different amounts to get the taste that works best for you.
Cook the lentils in water until done, around 45 minutes to an hour. pre-soaking is optional.
Heat the oil with the cumin seeds. Add garlic, then ginger and onion. When the onions start to turn translucent add the other vegetables, saute until they start to get tender.
Add the cooked lentils in to the vegetables, along with the seasonings. Mix the chickpea flour with some cool water on the side and stir to a smooth paste to get out the lumps, and add to the stew. Cook about another 1/2 hour until the potatoes are cooked through. Adjust seasonings.