Best Curried Lentils Recipes

CARIBBEAN CURRIED PEAS (LENTILS)

Steps:

• Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook and stir onion, carrots, salt, black pepper, and sugar until onion is a deep brown color, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, chile pepper, ginger, and curry powder. Stir constantly to incorporate, about 5 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-heat and stir 1 can vegetable broth into the onion mixture. Scrape up any vegetables or curry powder stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add lentils and remaining 1 can of vegetable broth; cook until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir cilantro into lentils before serving.

SPICY CURRIED LENTILS AND RICE

Steps:

• Pour the oil into a medium or large saucepan with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and pepper. Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Cook until onion begins to slightly soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add lentils, rice, curry powder, and water. Stir well.
• Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 35 minutes.
• Remove from heat, add peas to pot, replace cover and let sit undisturbed for 5 more minutes.
• Add tomatoes and salt and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with cilantro. Serve immediately.

CURRIED RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear.
• Add lentils and enough water to cover to a saucepan and simmer until the lentils are tender (about 30 minutes).
• Add water if necessary.
• While the lentils are cooking, caramelize the onions in the vegetable oil in a large skillet.
• Combine the curry paste, spices, garlic and ginger in a bowl.
• Mix well.
• When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the pan.
• Cook over a high heat, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomat puree and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Cook the curry base until the lentils are ready.
• When the lentils are tender, drain off any exceess water and add the lentils to the curry mixture.
• Combine thoroughly and serve immediately.

CURRIED LENTILS AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat the 2 T broth (or you can use oil) in a heavy-bottomed soup pot, saucepan, or Dutch oven and saute the onion with 1 clove of the garlic until it begins to turn translucent.
• Add the ginger, turmeric, and curry powder and saute for a few minutes longer.
• Add more broth (or water), if necessary, and the rice, and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add the lentils, 4 cups water, bouillon cubes, remaining garlic, and raisins and bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Add the apples and simmer, covered, for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
• Optionally, serve topped with plain yogurt and some more raisins.

CURRIED LENTILS WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• In a 2-quart saucepan, heat water, lentils, onion, and 1/2 tsp. salt to boiling over medium heat.
• Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, until lentils are tender but not mushy-about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium-size skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add curry and cook 30 seconds.
• Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes; stir in yogurt, honey, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt.
• Drain lentil mixture in strainer; transfer to large serving bowl.
• Fold in yogurt mixture, carrot, and parsley.
• Just before serving, core apple and thinly slice; gently stir slices into lentil mixture and serve.

CURRIED CHICKEN WITH LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat the ghee in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, serrano peppers, fennel seeds & cumin seeds. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, while stirring, until the seeds are slightly toasted and fragrant.
• Add the ginger, curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, black pepper & salt. Saute for just about a minute.
• Add the chicken to the pot and brown a bit, until no longer pink, for about 5 minutes.
• Finally, stir in lentils, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and spinach. Bring to a boil, then lower heat & simmer while covered for 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes or so, and add water if mixture gets a bit too dry.
• Once the lentils are cooked, the curry is done. Remove from heat, and stir in yogurt. When serving, top with parsley and eggs.

ROASTED MONKFISH WITH CURRIED LENTILS AND BROWNED BUTTER CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, about 17 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer mixture to blender; add 3 tablespoons water and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring, and adding more water to thin sauce, if desired.)
• For lentils and browned butter cauliflower:
• Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add lentils, curry, and paprika; stir 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 cups water; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Uncover; stir until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 2 minutes. Add cauliflower; sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water; cover and cook until cauliflower is crisp-tender and water evaporates, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in lentil mixture. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before serving.)
• For gremolata:
• Mix parsley and lemon peel in bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• For fish:
• Sprinkle monkfish with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish; sauté until just opaque in center, about 6 minutes per side.
• Divide sauce among 4 plates. Spoon lentil mixture alongside. Place fish atop lentils; sprinkle with gremolata.
• *Available at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets.

CURRIED LENTILS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• 1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
• 2. Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. (If lentils seem dry, add up to 1 cup stock, as needed.) Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 30 to 45 minutes total.
• 3. Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice. Spoon into a large, shallow serving dish. Garnish with tamari almonds if desired and scallions.

QUICK CURRIED LENTILS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and ginger; season with salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
• Add tomato sauce, lentils, and 1 cup water. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro; season with salt.
• Serve lentil mixture with rice; garnish with more cilantro, if desired.

SALMON WITH CURRIED LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, shallot, curry powder and 1/2 teaspoon paprika; cook, stirring often, until the shallot is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until slightly softened, 2 minutes. Add the lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 1/2 cups water; increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until thick, 5 to 10 more minutes. Add lemon juice and salt to taste.
• Preheat the broiler. Put the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin-side down. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika and broil until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Toss the arugula with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and salt and lemon juice to taste. Serve with the lentils and salmon.

CURRIED QUINOA WITH RED LENTILS AND KALE

Steps:

• Bring water and broth to a boil in a stockpot; add lentils, onion, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Cover stockpot, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Mix quinoa, cumin, curry powder, salt, chili powder, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, cardamom, and cloves into broth mixture; return to a boil. Cover stockpot, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes more.
• Stir kale, peas, and butter into quinoa mixture and return to a boil. Cover stockpot, reduce heat to medium, and cook until kale and peas are tender, about 10 minutes more.

CURRIED LENTILS AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring lentils to boil in plenty of water to cover in covered pot. Cook about 10 minutes, until soft. Drain and reserve liquid.
• Peel and coarsely chop onion and saute with garlic in hot oil until soft.
• Reduce heat and add coriander, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir well.
• Add florets to the onion mixture with stock and tomato paste. Stir well to mix. Cover and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in lentils, adding liquid from lentils if necessary to thin a little.
• Stir in cashews and serve with yogurt on the side.

CAROL'S DAL CURRY (CURRIED LENTILS)

Steps:

• Cover bottom of saucepan with vegetable oil.
• Fry onion about 5 minutes, add cilantro and continue frying over medium heat, until onion is golden.
• Add tomato and let get a little soft.
• Add rest of ingredients, including spices (add spices according to your taste!) and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

CURRIED LENTILS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a medium pot.
• Add onion and garlic and saute until soft; about 5 minutes.
• Stir in curry powder, ginger and cumin, and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in lentils and broth; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Add sweet potatoes, cover, and cook for 10 minues longer, untiil water is absobed and sweet potatoes are just tender.
• Stir in baby spinach and cook for 1 minute longer, until spinach is just wilted. Add salt and adjust seasonings to taste.
• Transfer to bowls and top each with 1/4 cup yogurt and 2 tbsp chopped almonds. Best when piping hot.

CROCKPOT CURRIED LENTILS

Steps:

• Combine everything except the tomatoes, dairy, and spinach in the crockpot. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
• 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaves, add the tomatoes and pulse with an immersion blender to grind up about half the lentils. Stir in the half-and-half, and the spinach if using. Cook another 30 minutes. Serve hot with rice or couscous.

CURRIED CHICKEN AND LENTILS

Steps:

• Add the lentils to a large 4 quart sauce pan and cover with 2 to 3 inches of water. Season and set on a medium to high flame. While that is cooking add 2 teaspoons of oil to a preheated skillet and then the chicken. Next add the curry powder and cayenne powder to taste. It's probably a good idea to add a teaspoon at a time until you're more familiar with the recipe. Let the curry powder stick to the pan a little bit and toast while the chicken is browning. When nicely brown, add the onions and garlic, and steam-sautee until the onions are translucent. If the onions begin to stick add 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth and work some of the caramalized sugar off of the bottom of the pan (it is oh so tasty). After the onions and water have reduced add the peppers and reduce the heat. Salt and pepper to taste, and then turn off the heat and thoroughly stir in the yogurt. This should keep the yogurt from separating. When the lentils are done (use directions from package or when tender) remove from heat and serve with golden chicken over the golden lentils. For those who really like it hot, try to find Hot Indian curry powder, and try to substitute some hot peppers for the green. Serve the chicken and sauce over the lentils, and no-one will ever realize how healthy or easy it is, because it tastes so good! It should take about 25-30 mins to prepare.

CURRIED LENTILS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• 1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder and jalapeno. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 2. Stir in 4 cups broth, sweet potatoes, lentils and bay leaf. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, partially cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. (If lentils seem dry, add up to 1 cup stock, as needed.) Stir in chard and salt and pepper, and continue cooking until lentils are tender and chard is cooked, about 30 to 45 minutes total. 3. Just before serving, stir in cilantro, lime zest and juice. Spoon into a large, shallow serving dish. Garnish with almonds if desired and scallions

CURRIED LENTILS

Steps:

• Wash and sort the lentils and cook until they are tender but firm.
• 4 cups of water High Heat 10 minutes and low/medium heat 15 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
• When it is hot, add the garlic and saute over moderately low heat for 1 minute then add the spinach and cook about 2 mins or so until all the leaves are wilted.
• Add the lentils and the remaining ingredients to the skillet.
• cover and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes.
• This is good over mashed potatoes, rice or couscous.

INSTANT POT CURRIED SWEET POTATO LENTILS

Steps:

• Hit "Saute" button on Instant Pot. Add oil. When hot, add the onions. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, and coriander and cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about one one minute.
• Pour in the coconut milk and the water. Add the ginger, sweet potato, lentils, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the release valve is in the "sealing" position. Press the "Manual" button and set the timer at 20 minutes.
• The Instant Pot will warm up for about 5 minutes and then start cooking. After the 20 minutes is up, quick-release by flipping the release valve to "venting" (a little bit at a time at first avoid burns).
• Once venting is complete, remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve with rice or quinoa and toppings if you like.
• Keeps in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Freezes well too!

CURRIED LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse lentils and place in a saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, then cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir in the curry paste, coconut cream and season with salt to taste. Return to a simmer, and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until tender.