Description
A comforting and flavorful lentil curry packed with spices and fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 large yellow onion (diced, about 2 cups)
- 5 cloves garlic (minced, about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro (stems and leaves separated)
- 1 ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 2 roma tomatoes (diced, about 1 ¾ cups)
- 1 ¼ cup red lentils (rinsed)
- 3 cups vegetable broth or water
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 cups packed baby spinach
- 1 fresh lemon
- cooked basmati or warm naan (for serving)
- 3 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- pinch of chili flakes
Instructions
- Finely chop cilantro stems.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and chopped cilantro stems. Cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the garam masala, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and diced tomatoes. Season with salt. Cook for 2–3 minutes until tomatoes begin to break down.
- Cook Curry: Stir in the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover and simmer for 16–20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and have absorbed most of the liquid.
- Finish Curry: Once the lentils are cooked, stir in the baby spinach one handful at a time. The residual heat will wilt the leaves in about a minute. If the curry is too thick, add a splash of water to reach your desired consistency. Stir in a generous squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavours of the curry.
- Prepare Optional Tadka: Heat oil or ghee in a small pan or skillet. Add cumin seeds. They will sizzle and turn a darker shade in about 10-20 seconds. Add garlic and chili flakes. Fry the garlic, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until the slices turn pale golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Garnish and Serve: Divide curry between bowls. Drizzle over the tadka, if using, and swirl into the bowls. Top with the cilantro leaves.
Notes
- Adjust the chili flakes to your spice preference.
- Can be served with rice or naan.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 12g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 0mg