Spinach Lentil Curry
27 July 2023 12:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mific posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
gluten_freeGF, low GI and lowish carb, Vegetarian, Vegan. Serves 4 if eaten with other dishes like rice, roti, naan or salad, or serves 2 if eaten by itself.
Ingredients:
Initial lentil cooking:
3/4 Cup Red Lentils (140g)
3.5 Cups water (800ml)
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon salt
Curry Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons neutral oil, eg. light olive oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes or to taste (or can use 1-2 whole dried red chillies)
1 Cup / 130g Onion
1.5 Tablespoons Garlic minced (4 to 5 garlic cloves, or use pre-prepared minced)
1 Tablespoon Ginger finely chopped (1 inch ginger or use pre-prepared minced)
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Paprika (Not smoked)
1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida (aka hing)
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or chilli powder (optional)
2 Cups / 300g Tomatoes - 3 medium sized ones, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
200g / 6 cups approx. of Spinach Leaves (or equivalent of frozen spinach). If using big spinach leaves, kale or silver beet, chop it roughly. I also cut any frozen spinach cubes in two.
Final additions:
1/2 cup / 20g rough-chopped fresh Cilantro / Coriander
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Lemon Juice to taste, about 1 Tbsp
Salt to taste
For those who use it, I also recommend 1/2 teaspoon MSG
Directions: The recipe I adapted this from said to soak the red lentils for an hour (these are the small pinky-orange lentils that go yellow once cooked). It depends what they're like where you live, but my local ones definitely don't need soaking - just simmer them a bit longer until cooked. So put the washed, drained lentils and the water as above in a medium sized pot. Add turmeric, salt and cover, and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, give it a mix then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Might need to add a little extra water - when done they should be a little soupy, not dry. Once cooked, set aside for later.
Heat the oil in a large pot. Once the oil is heated, reduce the heat to low (to prevent spices from burning). Add the cumin seeds. When the seeds start to splutter, add the chilli flakes and fry for a few seconds. Then add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and increase the heat back to medium. Fry on medium heat until the onion is soft and browned. (Adding salt to the onion releases its moisture and helps it cook faster). Add the chopped ginger and garlic and fry for another minute. Add the rest of the dry spices (coriander, paprika, asafoetida and cayenne/chilli pepper) and fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are slightly soft. Add the spinach leaves/frozen spinach and mix well. Then add in the cooked lentils, soy sauce and mix. Bring it to a simmer and cook for a few minutes or until tomatoes and spinach are cooked. Turn off the heat. (If the curry is too thick, can thin it out with a little boiling water.) I actually used chopped raw kale instead of spinach as that was what I had, and it worked fine and is a good way to use up kale! But it needs a lot more simmering to get as soft as spinach would, maybe an extra 15-20 min.
Add the chopped coriander/cilantro, drizzle of olive oil and the lemon juice to taste. Mix well and add MSG if using this, and finally a little extra salt to taste.
Serve hot with steamed rice/naan/roti, maybe a green side salad, and some pickle. But I just had it by itself and it was great, and although spicy, it definitely wasn't too chilli-hot (as a guide, in Indian restaurants I usually get dishes of mild-medium spiciness). Very yummy!
As above, things to save time or to use simpler ingredients are: use pre-prepared minced garlic and ginger, use frozen spinach, use a can of chopped tomatoes instead of fresh ones, use bottled lemon juice, don't soak the lentils unless your local ones really need this.
Ingredients:
Initial lentil cooking:
3/4 Cup Red Lentils (140g)
3.5 Cups water (800ml)
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon salt
Curry Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons neutral oil, eg. light olive oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes or to taste (or can use 1-2 whole dried red chillies)
1 Cup / 130g Onion
1.5 Tablespoons Garlic minced (4 to 5 garlic cloves, or use pre-prepared minced)
1 Tablespoon Ginger finely chopped (1 inch ginger or use pre-prepared minced)
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Paprika (Not smoked)
1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida (aka hing)
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or chilli powder (optional)
2 Cups / 300g Tomatoes - 3 medium sized ones, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
200g / 6 cups approx. of Spinach Leaves (or equivalent of frozen spinach). If using big spinach leaves, kale or silver beet, chop it roughly. I also cut any frozen spinach cubes in two.
Final additions:
1/2 cup / 20g rough-chopped fresh Cilantro / Coriander
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Lemon Juice to taste, about 1 Tbsp
Salt to taste
For those who use it, I also recommend 1/2 teaspoon MSG
Directions: The recipe I adapted this from said to soak the red lentils for an hour (these are the small pinky-orange lentils that go yellow once cooked). It depends what they're like where you live, but my local ones definitely don't need soaking - just simmer them a bit longer until cooked. So put the washed, drained lentils and the water as above in a medium sized pot. Add turmeric, salt and cover, and bring to a boil. Once it starts to boil, give it a mix then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Might need to add a little extra water - when done they should be a little soupy, not dry. Once cooked, set aside for later.
Heat the oil in a large pot. Once the oil is heated, reduce the heat to low (to prevent spices from burning). Add the cumin seeds. When the seeds start to splutter, add the chilli flakes and fry for a few seconds. Then add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and increase the heat back to medium. Fry on medium heat until the onion is soft and browned. (Adding salt to the onion releases its moisture and helps it cook faster). Add the chopped ginger and garlic and fry for another minute. Add the rest of the dry spices (coriander, paprika, asafoetida and cayenne/chilli pepper) and fry for about 30 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 minutes or until the tomatoes are slightly soft. Add the spinach leaves/frozen spinach and mix well. Then add in the cooked lentils, soy sauce and mix. Bring it to a simmer and cook for a few minutes or until tomatoes and spinach are cooked. Turn off the heat. (If the curry is too thick, can thin it out with a little boiling water.) I actually used chopped raw kale instead of spinach as that was what I had, and it worked fine and is a good way to use up kale! But it needs a lot more simmering to get as soft as spinach would, maybe an extra 15-20 min.
Add the chopped coriander/cilantro, drizzle of olive oil and the lemon juice to taste. Mix well and add MSG if using this, and finally a little extra salt to taste.
Serve hot with steamed rice/naan/roti, maybe a green side salad, and some pickle. But I just had it by itself and it was great, and although spicy, it definitely wasn't too chilli-hot (as a guide, in Indian restaurants I usually get dishes of mild-medium spiciness). Very yummy!
As above, things to save time or to use simpler ingredients are: use pre-prepared minced garlic and ginger, use frozen spinach, use a can of chopped tomatoes instead of fresh ones, use bottled lemon juice, don't soak the lentils unless your local ones really need this.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-27 10:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-07-27 12:09 pm (UTC)