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Lentils Curry

This recipe outlines the preparation of a flavorful red lentil curry, featuring aromatic spices like cumin, mustard, turmeric, and coriander, alongside ginger, garlic, and onion. It's a vegan, high-fiber, and low-fat dish, served with fresh coriander garnish.
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Servings: 3 people
Course: lunch/dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 1457.8
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 cups of red lentils
  • 1/2 brown onion chopped or 2 shallots thinly sliced
  • 2 centimeters ginger and 1 clove of garlic crushed together
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 green chili
  • 3 teaspoons of turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 2 curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
  • Chopped coriander for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy-Bottomed Pot or Dutch Oven For even cooking and preventing sticking.
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Chef's Knife For chopping onions and chili.
  • 1 Mortar and Pestle or Garlic Press For crushing ginger and garlic.
  • 1 Wooden Spoon or Spatula For stirring.

Method
 

  1. Rinse red lentils thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear; set aside.
  2. Chop the brown onion or thinly slice shallots; crush ginger and garlic together to form a paste; thinly slice the green chili.
  3. Heat a tablespoon of oil (or ghee for richer flavor) in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
  4. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds to the hot oil and let them sizzle until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
  5. Add chopped onion/shallots and cook until softened and translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
  6. Stir in the crushed ginger-garlic paste, sliced green chili, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and curry leaves; cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, adding a splash of water if spices stick.
  7. Add the rinsed lentils and 4-5 cups of water to the pot; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
  8. Stir in the tomato sauce and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (salt is often added at the end to prevent toughening lentils).
  10. Garnish generously with chopped fresh coriander before serving.

Notes

For optimal texture, rinse the red lentils thoroughly under cold water before cooking to remove any starch and debris. When tempering the whole spices (cumin, mustard seeds), ensure the oil is hot enough for them to sizzle and release their aroma, but not burn. Add a splash of water if the ground spices seem to stick or burn when cooking with the aromatics. For a richer flavor profile, consider a tempering of ghee (clarified butter) instead of oil. Adjust the green chili to your preferred spice level. A squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end can brighten the dish significantly, and a touch of coconut milk can add creaminess if desired.