Keep cosy with red lentil and eggplant curry
The winds have picked up, the mercury has dropped and we’ve found ourselves rugging up in a jumper and woollen socks when we arrive home of an evening. To add a little warmth to these cool nights, try making this red lentil and eggplant curry. If you don’t have a bottle of homemade passata handy, you can track down an imported bottle from a local Mediterranean deli or pick up the Macro Organic passata sauce from Woolworths.
INGREDIENTS
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 cup baby spinach
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of tomato passata
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup red lentils
olive oil
Paste
5 cm ginger, sliced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons peanut oil
fresh coriander
TO MAKE
Prepare the paste first. Combine the ginger, spices and salt in a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the peanut oil, tomato paste and a handful of fresh coriander and pulse until a paste has formed. Set aside.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add a splash of olive oil then the diced onion, eggplant and minced garlic until eggplant has browned and softened. Stir in 1/3 cup of the homemade masala paste and cook stirring for two minutes or until fragrant. Add the passata and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add the red lentils and reduce heat to medium, stirring often until lentils are tender but not too mushy – about 20 minutes. When ready to eat, stir in spinach and serve with brown rice, quinoa or on its own.
Image and recipe inspiration via Naturally Ella.
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