The loyal lentil curry

Name: The loyal lentil curry
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 250g puy lentils or beluga lentils; 1 tbsp coconut or olive oil; 5-7 shallots, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, crushed with 1 tsp salt; 1½ tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 red pepper, finely chopped; 1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped; ½ x 400g tin chopped tomatoes or 2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped; 400g butternut squash, roasted; 1 tbsp tahini; 1 tbsp honey; 400ml coconut milk; Juice 1 lime; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; For the yogurt sauce; 200g greek or vegan yogurt; 1 tsp honey or agave syrup; Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil; For the cucumber salad; ½ cucumber, shaved into ribbons; 4 tbsp rice vinegar (from the world food section of supermarkets); To serve; Fresh coriander, hot sauce such as sriracha, steamed rice and lime wedges

Published: 22 Feb 17
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

Lentils are far from dull in this curry recipe from Nina Olsson. It has flavours that sing together – earthy cumin and cinnamon, tangy lime and coriander, hot chilli and garlic – marrying perfectly with sweet butternut squash and lentils.

Use up that open packet of pulses with more of our delicious lentil recipes.

Serves 4
Hands-on time 45 min

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Ingredients

250g puy lentils or beluga lentils
1 tbsp coconut or olive oil
5-7 shallots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed with 1 tsp salt
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1-2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
½ x 400g tin chopped tomatoes or 2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
400g butternut squash, roasted
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp honey
400ml coconut milk
Juice 1 lime
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

For the yogurt sauce

200g greek or vegan yogurt
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil

For the cucumber salad

½ cucumber, shaved into ribbons
4 tbsp rice vinegar (from the world food section of supermarkets)

To serve

Fresh coriander, hot sauce such as sriracha, steamed rice and lime wedges

Method

Boil a pan of water and cook the lentils for 25-30 minutes, according to the pack instructions. Drain, rinse and set aside. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the 1 tbsp oil and gently fry the shallots for 4-5 minutes until transparent. Add the garlic, salt, spices, pepper, chillies and tomatoes, then fry for a few minutes over a low-medium heat.
Stir in the cooked lentils, roasted squash, tahini, honey and coconut milk, then let the curry simmer over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes, adding a little water if it looks dry and stirring regularly. Add the lime juice and soy, then simmer for a few minutes more, stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.
For the yogurt sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Make the cucumber salad by tossing the cucumber ribbons with the rice vinegar. Drizzle the curry with the extra-virgin olive oil, top with fresh coriander and serve with steamed rice and the cool yogurt sauce, with the cucumber salad, some hot sauce and lime wedges on the side.

Recipe is from Nina Olsson’s cookbook Bowls of Goodness (£18.99 Kyle Books)

Recipe from January 2017 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 659kcals
Fat: 35.5g (21.8g saturated)
Protein: 24.5g
Carbohydrates: 54g (19.6g sugars)
Fibre: 12.8g
Salt: 1.7g

delicious. tips

To prepare the squash, deseed, peel and chop into 3cm cubes. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Spread out in a large roasting tin, drizzle with a generous glug of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes or until golden and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Cook the curry up to 48 hours in advance and keep in a sealed container in the fridge. Warm through on the hob before serving.

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The loyal lentil curry

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