Red Lentil Curry

A bowl of orange curry with herbs on top, pot of curry beside.

A simple but very flavourful dinner, this red lentil curry features slowly cooked carrots and onions, red lentils, and creamy coconut milk.

Course Autumn, Main Course, Mains, Spring, Winter

Cuisine British, Indian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings people

Calories 366kcal

Author Alexandra Daum

Ingredients

2 teaspoons oil
1 medium onion halved and thinly sliced
3 medium carrots sliced (~300 grams)
2 cloves garlic minced
1 thumb ginger minced (~6 cm)
1 tablespoon curry powder
400 grams (13.5 oz.) canned diced tomatoes
400 ml (13.5 oz.) full-fat coconut milk
1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
120 grams (¾ cup) red lentils

Instructions

Heat a large pot over low-medium. Once preheated, add the oil and onions. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. If the onions are browning too much, reduce the heat and add a splash of water if needed.
2 teaspoons oil, 1 medium onion
Add the carrots, garlic, and ginger, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The carrots should be softened but not cooked through.
3 medium carrots, 2 cloves garlic, 1 thumb ginger
Stir in the curry powder and cook for another minute.
1 tablespoon curry powder
Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, and salt. Rinse the tomato can with a little water from the tap (around 50 ml / ¼ cup) and add to the pot. Increase the heat to bring the curry to a high simmer, then add the lentils. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are fully cooked.
400 grams (13.5 oz.) canned diced tomatoes, 400 ml (13.5 oz.) full-fat coconut milk, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 120 grams (¾ cup) red lentils
Taste and season as needed. Serve hot with any toppings or sides you'd like.

Notes

Curry powder: use your favourite. Curry powder is simply a mix of spices commonly used in curries and they vary widely - I like mine to be turmeric-forward. If you want to use individual spices, use 1 teaspoon each turmeric and ground coriander, ½ teaspoon each cumin and ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon hot pepper.

Storage: keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat as usual. You may need to add a splash of water if reheating in a pot so that it doesn't stick.

Freezing: transfer fully cooled curry to an airtight container and freeze up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. It's best to freeze the same day you cook it for freshness.

Try add-ins: I recommend adding frozen peas or fresh greens like spinach or chard once the curry is finished cooking. Stir them in and place the lid back on the pot for a couple of minutes before serving. We often add peas and/or greens to this.

Simmer until tender: the lentils should need around 15 minutes to cook, but can take a little longer if they're very old. Simmer the curry until the lentils are cooked through even if it takes more than the outlined time.

Nutrition