Lentil and potato curry recipe

Hi, I’m Zoe. I’m a busy mother of two young boys, working from home running an online boutique store and blog.

I’m passionate about creating rustic, simple, delicious meals the whole family will enjoy - from the fussiest toddler to traditional lovers of ‘meat and three veg’. I believe we can all enjoy complex flavours and spices when presented in the right way.

So, when I’m not discovering new products for my online store, Little & Loved, you’ll find me rustling up wholesome dishes with seasonal, organic produce, organically farmed meat, healthy grains, nuts and good fats.  The recipes live on my blog, they’re good for us, our little ones and the environment. You’ll find meals free of gluten, refined sugar, dairy, egg and meat – as well as seasoning and spice adjustments to suit young palates.

Today I’m sharing my lentil & potato curry recipe. It is a wonderfully hearty, wholesome and delicious mild curry that the whole family can enjoy. It is one of those meals that is better the next day, so can be made in bulk and enjoyed throughout the week, a hearty lunch, or a simple midweek meal. Lentils are a wonderful for feeding young families, they are cheap to buy and incredibly nutritious, rich in antioxidants, protein and iron. I’ve used brown lentils in this curry, as they stay lovely and nutty, holding their form well.

Lentil and potato Curry

• gluten free
• vegetarian
• vegan

Ingredients:

glug extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander
1 tsp chilli powder (I use kashmiri which is quite mild)
1 cup brown lentils, washed & drained*
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed to about 2cm square
350ml stock - chicken or vegetable (to be vegetarian/vegan suitable)
1 small jar of tomato puree
several handfuls of spinach leaves
sea salt, to taste

To serve (all optional)

fresh coriander
natural, unsweetened yogurt
brown rice

Method:

Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat and add olive oil, onion and garlic.
Gently sauté, stiring occasionally, until they are soft and fragrant, a little colour is absolutely fine - as this adds to the flavour.
Add the mustard seeds, cumin, coriander and chilli, stir and allow them to cook for a minute or two.
Add the prepared lentils and potatoes and stir to coat with the onion and spice mixture. Gently cook for a further minute or two before adding the stock and tomato puree, washing the jar out with a little water and adding this also. Allow the curry to come to a boil for a minute or two before reducing the heat, covering with a lid and simmering for 45 minutes to an hour - stirring occasionally. After 45 minutes, check that the lentils are cooked - the liquid should have reduced and thickened. Stir through spinach and season with sea salt and cook for a further minute or two with the lid off.

Serve alone or with brown rice - sprinkled with fresh coriander and a dollop of natural yogurt.

Enjoy. Zoe

* Preparing dried lentils.
Place lentils in a medium sized bowl and cover with cold water, gently stir with your fingers and allow the water to settle. Remove any ‘bits’ that come to the surface, repeat this a few times before running through cold water once more. Strain and allow the lentils to dry before using.