Madras Lentils
This Madras Lentils recipe is an easy, delicious vegetarian curry with a combination of lentils and kidney beans in a crazy-delicious tomato cream sauce.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 tbsp butter or ghee
- 1 large onion finely chopped (340 g/12 oz)
- 2 tsp kosher salt divided use
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds (or 1 tsp ground)
- 1 minced jalapeno
- 3 tbsp minced garlic (9 large cloves garlic)
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup water
- 1 18 oz can brown lentils drained
- 1 18 oz can red kidney beans drained
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 tsp of the salt. Cook until onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes (longer if onion was fridge-cold or not super-finely chopped). Stir frequently and reduce heat if it starts charring. It should be translucent and almost caramelized.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in cumin seeds, cooking until they smell fragrant (about a minute).
- Add jalapeno, garlic, ginger, cayenne and turmeric and cook a minute more.
- Add tomato paste and cook a few minutes until it turns a shade darker and the oil shimmers on top.
- Stir in the water, lentils, beans, cream and remaining 1 tsp salt.
- Reduce heat to low simmer, covered, at least 10 minutes. (If you have time to simmer longer, the flavour gets even better with time. Use 1 cup water instead of ½ cup because it will thicken up quite a bit, then simmer up to 1 hour, stirring every now and then.)
- Stir in cilantro and serve.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 665mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg