Red Lentil Curry

Curry and I, we have this love hate relationship. There were no curries in Russia. At least not when I was growing up there. But once I got to America, I kept seeing all kinds of curry recipes and wanted to try them so badly because they just looked so colorful and so delicious. So I’d buy curry spice, open it, and it just would be too much. Then I’d give it away or just leave it until it expired… That is until I discovered Red Curry Thai Paste. This was a game changer for me. It smelled so good, and it reminded me of home. See in Russia, many people have a Dacha, where you can grow your own fruits and veggies and herbs. You grow everything over the spring, summer, and fall, and then you preserve your harvest for the winter. Well, some women make this concoction of herbs and spices to freeze or to keep in the fridge for a long time so you can season your soups with it. That’s what the smell of Red Curry Paste reminded me of (even though that concoction was green). And so I gave this a try, and the result was amazing. It is spicy, but also savory and sweet. All the ingredients really come from your pantry. It’s vegetarian, not vegan, only because I use honey to sweeten it. It’s also very nutritious. And it only takes about half an hour to make. I hope you give this a try.

Red Lentil Curry

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This curry has an amazing combo of flavors. It’s savory, sweet, spicy, and creamy, and so easy to make.

• Author: Olga Lang
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Cuisine: Indian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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•  1 cup dry red lentils,  rinsed and set aside
•  3/4 cup finely diced onion
•  3 cloves garlic
• 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes (or crushed if you prefer creamier texture)
• 3 Tbsp Red Curry Paste*
• 2 Tbsp honey**
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 can lite coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for cooking
• Cilantro and peanuts for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

• In a deep skillet preheat olive oil over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, until they become soft.
• Add the rest of ingredients, all except coconut milk.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, mixing occasionally. 
• Once lentils are cooked, turn the heat off and add coconut milk. 
• Serve with long grain rice.

Notes

• *If you’d like more heat in your curry you can add 1/2 tbsp. more of curry paste.
• ** You can also add more honey if you’d like your curry sweeter, about 1 tbsp. or so.