Again super easy, but very tasty too. Sadly, I have to limit the number of spices I add as one of my gannets doesn’t like them (you know who you are). But feel free to experiment with any spices or herbs to jazz up this basic recipe. I’ve been told that lots of fresh chilli and coriander really make it sing. A good squeeze of lime too.
Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse, high in polyphenols and rich in heart-healthy fibre, folate and potassium. A perfect plant protein for vegans, adding lots of veg to this dish really makes this a super healthy dinner.
You need:
- 300g red or green dried lentils (or mix)
- 400ml tin of coconut milk * (and stock, see notes)
- 3 cloves garlic peeled & chopped
- 2 large tomatoes cut into small pieces
- A sweet potato cut small
- Some frozen spinach / 400g can of chickpeas – both optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin & paprika
- 2 tsps curry powder
- 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder – optional (see note re gannet above)
Method
1 Place a pan over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes before adding the spices, followed by the chopped tomatoes and sweet potato.
2 Stir well, letting the garlic and spices fry together for a few minutes before stirring through the lentils and then the coconut milk/stock.
3 Bring the mix to the boil; then reduce to a simmer, over low temperature.
4 Leave to cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes until thick and creamy — make sure to stir it every 10–15 minutes, ensuring it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan; add a splash of water if needed.
5 At this stage, I add some frozen spinach and a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas and leave at the lowest temperature for minimum 20 minutes. But this is probably a case of me adding too much, so feel free to omit. It tastes great without them.
6 Once cooked, stir through a little more seasoning and serve with a big dollop of avocado, chilli flakes, brown rice, or even some tortillas.
Healthdesign Tips:
- Make sure you rinse and drain the lentils first
- *If you don’t like too much coconut milk, you can use half vegetable (or chicken) stock/half coconut milk mix. Add the stock slowly, usually need around 300 ml
- If you like a lot of coconut milk, double up. But please avoid coconut milk nasties. This is a great Irish brand from Dunnes with 100% coconut milk https://www.dunnesstoresgrocery.com/sm/delivery/rsid/258/product/fused-by-fiona-uyema-organic-coconut-milk-400ml-id-100308494
- They do a light version also with no nasties – good to know
- This keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge, and freezes really well too.