This lentil recipe is an eye opener – an incredible creamy coconut Lentil Curry made with just TWO spices! It’s a streamlined version of Indian Dal, delivering a similar intoxicating curry flavour but a whole lot less complicated. Make this with any type of dried lentils, canned, or even split peas!
Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you. This is knock-your-socks-off good, and proof that you can eat amazing food on a budget.
“I’ll be honest and say I thought this would be lacking in flavour because I’m used to trying curries from scratch rather than with curry powder……How wrong was I?? I apologise wholeheartedly Nagi!! Amazing recipe, please try this people. Tasty, easy, mind blowingly awesome. xx” – Emily, 10 April 2020
Lentil Recipe – easy – mega flavour!
I know it’s childish of me to complain, but this Lentil Curry took an irritatingly long time to create.
I wanted simple. Minimal ingredients. And meat-free. Not like, say, this more complex (but equally delicious) Beef and Lentil Soup.
Quick to make. Very little chopping, very few ingredients.
A “go to” lentil recipe I could make any night that didn’t sacrifice flavour for speed.
And it had to stack up to real Indian Dal. I love it. I just don’t always have the time or everything I need to make it.
I knew it was a pretty high benchmark. Creating kapow! flavours out of plain lentils without going crazy with a list of spices.
But finally, I’m happy – and ready to share. Here it is!! (And just TWO SPICES!!)
Two little steps make all the difference…..
The key to cooking amazing food with bare minimum ingredients is good produce and knowing what to do to extract the most flavour out of what you have.
For this recipe, we’re going for the latter. We take our time sautéing the onions, ginger and garlic so they transform from raw harshness to a sweet, savoury flavour base. Then we cook off the two spices to make the flavour bloom.
These two little steps make all the difference so we only need water for this curry, no stock!
What goes in Lentil Curry with Coconut Sauce
Here’s what you need:
Lentils – use any dried lentils or canned here. Brown, green, red, yellow, whether split or whole OR any type of dried split peas. Green split peas will result in an an interesting colour in your pot, but it will still be phenomenally delicious. Just avoid French lentils (Puy lentils / black lentils) as they don’t soften as well as other lentils so you won’t get the same creamy, thick texture.
Curry powder – This is the main shortcut, The beauty of this is that you don’t need any fancy curry powder, just your run-of-the-mill jar from the grocery store. I’ve made this with Clives of India, Keens, and a generic brand and they all tasted just as good. Just be mindful of using SPICY curry powder – check the label!
Garlic and ginger – while fresh is ideal (followed by jarred), powder is a sufficient substitute;
Coconut milk – if you use low fat instead of full fat, you are not allowed to complain if your sauce isn’t as good as you hoped!😂
How to make this lentil recipe
And here’s how to make it. It takes about 50 minutes start to finish, but the active effort is only around 10 minutes – and there’s a nice flow to it because you can gather and measure ingredients while you stir the onions every now and then.
The Secret to an amazing Lentil Recipe
The key step here is sautéing the onions, garlic and ginger over a low-ish heat until tinged with gold, and they transform into a sweet, savoury flavour base for the sauce so we only need water instead of stock or broth.
Then we also cook off the curry powder and turmeric which lets the spices bloom before adding the lentils and everything else in to simmer away.
Just LOOK at that incredible sauce! So creamy! Loaded with flavour! (There are not enough exclamation marks in this world!!!)
What to serve with lentil curry
A sauce this good demands rice to soak it up, though if you’re on a low carb kick then cauliflower rice will work a treat. Basmati is on theme (being a curry and all) though plain white rice or brown rice is just fine too.
And if you really want to go all out, add a side of flatbread: Either real-deal naan or my general-purpose flatbread (an easy, no yeast recipe and I serve it as naan all the time with Indian curries).
Now, go forth and experience the greatness that is lentils!! Economical, filling, nourishing – the world’s greatest source of plant based protein, all wrapped up in a coconut curry sauce. YESS!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Lentil Curry – mega flavour lentil recipe!
Ingredients
- 50g (3 tbsp) butter , unsalted (sub 2 tbsp neutral oil)
- 4 garlic cloves , finely minced (Note 1)
- 1.5 tbsp ginger , finely minced (Note 1)
- 1 onion , finely chopped (white, yellow, brown)
- 2 tbsp curry powder , mild or spicy (your choice!) (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup dried lentils , green or brown (or any other dried lentils or split peas, Note 3)
- 400 ml / 14 oz coconut milk , full fat
- 400g/ 14 oz canned tomato , crushed or diced
- 3 cups (750 ml) water
Serving:
- 1/2 cup coriander/cilantro , finely chopped
- Yogurt , optional
- Basmati rice (or other rice)
Instructions
- Saute onion: Melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Slowly cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes until tinged with gold and the onion is sweet.
- Cook off spices: Turn heat up to high, add curry powder and turmeric, stir for 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add everything else: Add remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to simmer, then place lid on and adjust heat to low / medium low so it's simmering gently.
- Simmer: Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes to reduce the sauce. {Note 2 for cook times of other lentils}
- Lentils should be soft, sauce should be thickened and creamy. Too thick, add water. Too thin, simmer with lid off – thickens quickly.
- Coriander: Stir through half the coriander, then taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve over basmati rice, sprinkled with more coriander and a dollop of yogurt. (Low carb option – cauliflower rice).
Recipe Notes:
- Green and brown lentils – most common & cheapest, cook per recipe
- Canned lentils (2 cans drained) – 25 min, uncovered the whole time
- Red split lentils – 25 min, uncovered the whole time
- Yellow or green split peas – 25 min, uncovered the whole time
- Any dal (Indian lentils) such as channa dal, toor dal or moong dal – per recipe
- French lentils (Puy lentils / black lentils) – not recommended as they don’t soften as well as other lentils so you won’t get the same creamy, thick texture.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Dozer in lockdown mode. This is what passer byes see.
(Don’t worry, he still gets out once a day to the dog park! He just doesn’t go out as much as he used to. Like all of us. 😩)
Thank you so much for this. It looks delicious and Im happy to try it! We NEED more easy recipes for plant protein for the sake of our planet and our future. If we just swap out some of our meat with plant protein like beans and lentils it has a really beneficial environmental impact – so thank you for thinking about this! Hope to see more veg recipes in the future!
Hubby and I were shopping for groceries online for Covid stockpiling. When we came across lentils, we thought it’d be a great item to buy as it would keep for a long time. The only problem was, we didn’t what to do with it! And now that you’ve shown us, I’d like to buy them, except it’s so hard now to get a delivery slot with our online grocer 😅
You’re so welcome Joseph, I hope you LOVE it!! N x
Nagi I look forward to your emails. The recipes are always encouraging to cook, the jokes are corny funny and I laugh out loud and I love hearing stories about that cutie Dozer! Thanks for lifting spirits during this time. P.s. Thanks for not using Cumin in this lentil recipe because I can’t find any in any grocery!! lolol
Thanks so much Marissa, Love hearing this 😂
Love your recipes and your attitude on food everything
I have cooked from website has been great particularly cream of veg soup that doesn’t have cream -amazing – my favourite
Thanks so much for the great feedback Rosey! N x
This is a wonderful recipe for all the reasons you mentioned. Thank you. The only suggestion I wish to make is that you can, occasionally, replace your curry powder with Garam Masala powder. Just for variation. If the Garam Masala seems not “powerful” enough just use more of it…
Great suggestion Eitan! N x
I feel your pain Dozer. Nagi, I had to think for a while – why could I only see your feet? Then I realised that was all that was reflected in the window. LOL Love you recipes!
Hahaahaaa!!!!😄😆
That was funny. I didn’t even see Nagi’s 🦶 the first time!!!
😷🥰😘
What does it mean to tap or hover over to scale. And would you consider a serve around one cup 😘
Hi! This sounds like a winner, again! Would it be possible to use my instant pot for this recipe? Or do you advice against my IP for this recipe?
The recipe changes the quantity of ingredients listed for the amount of servings you want.
Thankyou😀
Dear Nagi and DOZER, I hope somebody is doing for you what you are doing for us. You help practically and keep our spirits up with your wacky sense of humour. Thank God you and dear DOZER have each other. I have a very old cat and his company is better than therapy. Stay safe, both of you. 🤗.
Nagi – gorgeous ! I have cooked alike but not quite as flavoursome for over four decades BUT what is wrong putting this inside the wrap and just eating some salad alongside and lots of gutsy wine with it – heaven !! Lucky you on the Northern Beaches – I am almost down to the Woolies $80 box of unknown entities . . . boring, Dozer, I know . . . 🙂 !
Is this suppose to be 1 and a 1/4 tsp salt? Seems like a lot of salt?
I just have to tell you how much I enjoy your recipes and your blog. You have really risen to the challenge to help me with so many practical plans and recipes during this difficult time. I’m making your chicken enchiladas later this week and I will make this lentil recipe too. It looks so good.
And I love hearing about the life of Dozer.
Please keep up the good work.
Thanks Nagi, i’m not a huge curry fan but this sounds delicious. Poor pathetic Dozer. I think he’s got us all around his little claw! But Nagi, what’s happened to the rest of you!! 😁😁
I’m not a fan of curry powder. What would a good substitute be?