Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Red Lentil and Cauliflower Curry



I’ve been craving Indian food lately, and this recipe has been on my top “to make” list since I first browsed Veganomicon, so I decided it was time to test it out. Plus, I have a LOT of red lentils on hand right now, despite making several batches of various red lentil soups. It’s like they’re secretly breeding and multiplying in the cupboard at night.

Indian curries range from very simple to rather complicated, both in terms of ingredients and cooking skills, and this falls on the simpler end of both scales. (For great vegan Indian food, check out Alternative Vegan by Dino Sarma.) You can moderate the spice and heat depending on the type/amount of chili pepper and the heat of the curry powder that you use. I’m from Texas so I can take the heat!

I served this over a pilaf of millet, quinoa and brown and white rice, although I think it would be really great over just white basmati rice. A sprinkle of coconut flakes on top would be tasty as well, though I didn’t have any on hand. If you want to up the nutrient factor, you can add a bunch of chopped spinach towards the very end. I add spinach to practically ever soup and stew that I make, because it is such as easy way to sneak in those leafy greens without even having to think about it. This particular night I really wanted my spinach separately, so instead of adding it to the curry I sautéed it with some garlic and mushrooms and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

This made for a GREAT one-pot dish (bonus: easy clean-up). The sweetness of the parsnip really helped round out the flavors of the curry. I had seconds. And thirds. And the leftovers held up well for lunches for the next few days.

Now to check on what those cheeky lentils are up to…..

1 comment:

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