feel food club

vegan curry

Creamy Lentil Dhal

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This is honestly one of the best things I‘ve ever made. I really really enjoy that on chilly winter days when you want a hot bowl of something but also on warmer days because it also tastes great when it is enjoyed cold and it actually enhances the flavor when kept in the fridge overnight or for several days. This makes it super meal prep friendly. You can just store it and take it to work, school, or Uni whenever you need it. It is like that with every curry or heavily spiced dish, it only gains flavor when left for a day or a few.


So what is dhal?
Dhal is an Indian term that refers to split pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils. These legumes, how you call them in English, are staple foods in Indian cuisine. But dhak is also used to name several dishes, mostly soups. Traditionally there are tomatoes and onions as well as several other spices added. In Asia it usually is eaten with some flatbread or rice. 

Is it good for me?
I love curries. So much. But sometimes you just feel like having something heartier with more substance. Like this lentil dhal. Lentils are packed with protein and fiber but also lots of other vitamins. Plus there’s a good amount of spices in here which makes everything super flavorful. The veggies and potatoes add some more taste and the toppings take it next level. 


What is in this recipe?
So, I am not a traditional Indian, surprise, surprise, so I took a traditional dhal and added a few things.The star of the dish are red lentils. If you really do not like those, I would recommend using split peas. Besides that we have some onion, garlic, ginger, graham masala, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, paprika powder, bell pepper, carrot as a base. We sautée everything and then add vegetable stock. We add in some potatoes that are peeled and cut. I do not think that it is very traditional to add potatoes but I believe that they add an incredible comforting feeling to it and make everything more filling. Plus they add some nice texture. You could also opt for sweet potatoes instead if you prefer but yellow potatoes work a bit better. 

Next come the lentils. I do not pre soak mine or pre cook them because red lentils cook pretty fast. So we add them in after a while and let everything simmer. Once the lentils are soft, in goes some coconut milk. The coconut milk is essential. I would use full fat one since we have a lot of broth and with low fat ones, you won´t be able to achieve that creaminess. While everything simmers for a little, the flavors of the spices will get deeper into the curry and the lentils become a little bit mushy, which tastes so great. 

So that basically is the dhal, but what would it be without toppings? Let´s be honest, toppings take everything next level. We are cutting up a lime, of which we will squeeze the juice on the dhal after serving, garnish the dish with a little (plant based) yoghurt or more coconut milk, some fresh cilantro, sliced up spring onions and if wanted (but really good) some cashews or peanuts for extra crunch and extra tastiness. 

I would recommend to serve it over some rice or with naan bread. With either one you can soak up the liquid and it tastes super delicious!

Is it family friendly?

Yes! It definitely is! Not only that it is very versatile, as you can add in some ground chicken when stir frying the veggies or some grilled prawns on top, when including some animal products but it also it can be made more or less spicy, depending on who eats it. Moreover, it can be kept in the fridge for several days, so every member of the family can take it to school or work. 

I hope that you will enjoy making and eating this dish, and that you will love it as much as I do! It is such a great dish to enjoy all throughout the year, is super healthy and packed with tons of flavors!

Enjoy, 

Katie // Une Petite Cuisinière

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Creamy Lentil Dhal

A super flavorful and warming dinner, that is super easy to make and incredibly delicious and healthy!

Course bowl, dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 15 Minuten
Cook Time 30 Minuten
Total Time 45 Minuten
Servings 4 servings
Calories 434 kcal

What you will need

Thats what you will need:

For the base:

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cm ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp graham massala
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp paprika powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 carrot

The rest:

  • 500 g potatoes
  • 200 g lentils
  • 500 ml vegetable broth
  • 200 ml coconut milk

For servings:

  • some rice
  • some cilantro
  • cut up spring onions
  • yoghurt (plant based)
  • some nuts

How to

That is how it works:

  1. Finely dice uo the onion, garlic and ginger. In a pan heat up the oil. Once hot add the cut up veggies in. Sautee them for 2 minutes and then add the spices and sautee for another 2 minutes.

  2. Peel the carrot. Finely dine it and the bell pepper aswell. Add them to the pot and sautee for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth.

  3. Peel the potatoes and cout them into about 2 cm chunks. Once the broth boild, add the potatoes in and let everything cook for 10 minutes. Then add in the lentils and let everything boil for another 10 minutes.

  4. Next pour in the coconut milk and let everything simmer for another 5 minutes.

  5. Once ready, put it into bowls. Garnish with some yoghurt, cilantro, spring onions and cilantro.

  6. Serve and enjoy!

Super Green 20-Minute Curry

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The temperatures are sinking and it’s getting colder outside. The time for cozy sweaters and comfortable evenings with hot chocolates is coming. Finally! Isn’t it one of the best times of a year? I do believe so (at least when you don’t have to go outside)! But also when it’s not warm outside you want to have something warm on the inside and you can best get this with a warm, comfortable dish. 

A big bowl of pasta, some good soup, a pot roast or even a curry. I love a good curry at this time of the year, especially when it’s spicy, it really gets me warm and makes me have a comfortable feeling. But I don’t only love curries in the winter to be honest, they are one of my favorite dishes of all. They are so flavorful, versatile and super nutritious. With a hearty side such as rice, quinoa or naan they make a perfect balanced meal.

Also, I really love the different colors you can have when making curries. It feels like eating the rainbow and they are all the same but different in flavors at the same time. You can make them spicy, mild or without any spice at all, you get basically add whichever vegetables you like, and eat it with whatever side you like. 

In this Curry I added three different greens as I think especially in this time of the year when comfort meals are in focus, it is hard to get all the veggies in an eat balanced meals. The great thing with veggies in curries is, that even if you don’t like the taste of a single vegetable a lot, it won’t matter that much since they are going to absorb a lot of the flavor of the curry paste. So you can be generous with the vegetables you add in. Just be careful, since they might have different cooking times. 

As a protein source I used chickpeas in this recipe because I decided to go for a vegan version. But again, it is very versatile. If you want a meaty version you can add in chicken, lamb, or beef, if you are craving fish, feel free to add salmon, mixed fish, or prawns or if you want to go for something plant based but don’t like chickpeas it don’t have them in hand, it works great with tofu too. Since the chickpeas are already pre cooked I add them at the end, but if you use something like chicken that is not cooked beforehand, make sure to add it before the vegetables so it will get completely cooked through. 

I like to serve mine with a side or rice but really any carb works. This curry is really great for meal prep too, I actually believe that it intensifies the flavor of you keep it in the fridge for one or more days. I also like this dish as a weeknight dinner because it is really simple and quick when you don’t feel like cooking after a long day. I hope that you will enjoy it and I would love to see it if you recreated to be sure to tag me with @uneptcuisiniere or with #unepetitecuisiniere on Instagram and leave a comment! 

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Super Green 20-Minute Curry

A great comforting dish for any weeknight dinner or as a perfect meal prep dish. Warming, nourishing and super delicious! The best part? – It only takes 20 minutes!

Course lunch, Main Course
Cuisine thai
Prep Time 5 Minuten
Cook Time 15 Minuten
Total Time 20 Minuten
Servings 2 people
Calories 473 kcal

What you will need

  • 100 g rice
  • 200 ml water
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 50 g green curry paste you can use homemade or storebought ones, whichever you prefer or have on hand
  • 150 g Brussel Sprouts
  • 200 g Cauliflower
  • 1/2 Zucchini
  • 200 ml Light coconut milk
  • 100 ml water
  • 100 g canned chickpeas rinsed
  • 2 handful spinach
  • Cilantro for garnish

How to

That is how it works:

  1. In a pot add the rice along with 200ml of water and a generous amount of salt. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a very low simmer and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for about 12-15 minutes without lifting the cover.

  2. Meanwhile half the brusselsprouts, and cut both the zucchini and cauliflower into small chunks. In a non-stick pan heat up the oil. Once hot add the curry paste and gently stir until it is all combined with the oil. When adding the paste before the vegetables the flavors get even more intense.

  3. Next, add the veggies except the spinach. The zucchini has a slightly shorter cooking time, so if you do not want it to get extra soft then add it maybe 3-4 minutes later. If you do not mind or actually like it, as I do, just add it now with the brussel sprouts and cauliflower.

  4. Fry them for about 3 minutes then pour the coconut milk and the water on top. Stir until the curry paste from the veggies and the sauce is well combined. Let this simmer for about 8 minutes and then add in the precooked chickpeas and the spinach. The greens will wilt down so do not worry if they seem huge at first! Let it all simmer for another 5 minutes. Salt it if necessary, this depends on your curry paste.

  5. By now the rice should be done too. Fluff it up with a fork so it gets nice and soft. Seperate it onto the plates and add the curry too! Top it with a little cilantro and some crushed peanuts if wanted.

    Serve and enjoy!