There's something incredibly comforting about lentil anything. And good god, Jesus' feeding of the 5000 with loaves and bread has nothing on the humble lentil. Just half a cup of lentils slow-cooked in a stew or curry is the gift that just keeps on giving, bulking up and multiplying to produce what can seem like a never-ending number of portions.
This recipe does benefit from a longer cooking time, as on a low heat lentils will simply keep on softening and cooking, but it's worth it - not least as you can freeze or refrigerate any extras for later in the week.
What's the A to V?
Lentils are high in non-heme (plant based) iron and phosphorus, as well as a great source of the minerals commonly found in beans and legumes such as magnesium, molybdenum and sulphur.
Ingredients (Serves 4 to 5000):
1 onion, sliced into crescent moons
3 cloves of garlic, chopped into rounds
3 cm cube of ginger, peeled and grated
200g of red lentils (roughly 40-50g per person)
1/2 an aubergine or 1 courgette, chopped into small cubes
1 red pepper, chopped into small strips or cubes
3 generous handfuls of spinach
25g of creamed coconut
1 tbsp of oil
1 tsp of turmeric
2 tsps of cumin
2 dried chillis, crumbled
3 cardamon pods (slice them open and use only the seeds inside to avoid a bad case of cardamon pod mouth)
227g of tinned tomato (the net weight of the smaller tins)
1 tbsp of tomato puree
A handful of coriander, to finish
Optional - 5 curry leaves
1 tsp of mustard seeds
Method
In a thick bottomed saucepan, heat your oil and chilli. Add your onion and garlic, season with a pinch of salt, and cook on a medium heat until the onion has softened.
Next, add your aubergine or courgette (or go for broke with both) and red pepper, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the rest of your dry spices, and mix everything together well.
Cook for a further 5 minutes, and then add your lentils, ginger, and stir briefly before adding your tinned tomato and an equal amount of water.
Then add your tomato puree (and curry leaves if you're using them), and turn the heat down. Cover your pan with a lid, and cook for a further 15-20 minutes. Tip - you'll need to check back in with your curry and stir every 5 minutes or so to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Adding extra water will probably be necessary as lentils are the devil for attaching themselves to the bottom of saucepans.
After this cooking time has elapsed, add your spinach and creamed coconut to the mix, and cook uncovered for a further 5 to 10 minutes on a low heat.
Serve with some chopped coriander, chutney or plain yoghurt, and serve with rice or bread.