Lenten Lentils, Oaxacan-Style - cooking recipe

Ingredients

For lentils
3/4 cup dried lentils
4 cups water
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/2 white onion, halved (so it's in quarters)
The dish
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 plantain, peeled and chopped
10 ounces cans unsweetened pineapple slices, cut into chunks
2 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled,seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Preparation

Bring lentils and water to a boil, with 2 halved garlic cloves and 1/2 white onion.
Reduce heat, then cover and simmer over low heat about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy.
Drain and reserve lentil cooking liquid.
At this point, I like to fish out the garlic halves but leave the onion, which breaks down in the lentils.
Season with salt.
Heat oil in large saucepan and saute chopped white onion and the 2 minced garlic cloves until onion is soft.
Add plantain, pineapple and tomatoes; cook until plantain is soft, anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes.
Add lentils and some reserved lentil cooking liquid.
Continue cooking until mixture thickens a little; add more cooking liquid or even some vegetable or chicken broth if necessary so lentils aren't dry.
Serve garnished with fried plantain slices.