Creamy Lentil Curry With Coconut Milk Recipe

Tips for cooking creamy and delicious lentil curry

Finely chop your ingredients. This curry's ability to nearly melt in your mouth is one of its best qualities, but it's difficult to achieve if your onion is in big bits. Try your best to finely chop the vegetables, or if you are in a hurry, pulse them in a food processor.

Fresh ginger gives the dish a little spice but keeps it from becoming overly spicy. You may also add some peppers along with ginger and garlic to the curry if you enjoy a little heat.

To give your lentil curries additional flavor and color, you can add more veggies like potatoes, carrots, or pumpkin squash. You may add some roasted or steamed veggies, a few cups of frozen peas, or even some fresh spinach towards the end pf cooking.

Lentil Curry Garnishes

Picking garnishes for soup depends on a person's taste and preferences, yet this lentil curry dish goes well with a number of extras which are;

Additional cream– you can add coconut cream, milk creamer, and sour cream.

Yogurt– similar to adding a little extra cream to the top, yogurt and curry are essentially made for each other. The mild tang from the yogurt is a perfect balance with the bold curry flavors.

Nuts or seeds– You can add some sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds to this curry lentil soup if you prefer a little crunch in soup.

Green onion–  green onion favorite garnish of all time, a little chopped green onion makes everything taste better.

Fresh herbs – add some fresh thyme, although cilantro would also taste delicious.

Ingredients

1½ cups dried red or green lentils

8 cups water

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large onion - chopped

2 large carrots - chopped

2 stalks of celery - chopped

1 medium butternut squash - seeded and chopped into cubes

1 can pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1 can coconut milk, full-fat, reduced-fat

Fresh green onion

Fresh cilantro - chopped

Coconut milk or cream - full-fat

Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

Procedure

Add vegetable oil to a large pot over medium heat then add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots and celery to the onions and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Finally, add the butternut squash, and garlic to the pot, mixing well to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes, or until butternut squash just starts to turn tender.

Add the water or vegetable broth to the pot. Increase heat to high and bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the lentils, pumpkin puree, and seasonings, mixing everything up thoroughly. Bring the liquid back to a simmer, then reduce the heat down to low and secure the lid. Stirring about every five to ten minutes, simmer for 60 minutes.

After 45 to 60 minutes, add the coconut milk and simmer, covered, on low heat, until the lentils are soft and cooked through.

Transfer the soup to a sizable blender and mix until smooth for a smoother, less lumpy lentil soup.

Add more pepper, salt, and curry seasoning to taste to season the soup.

Serve garnish with coconut cream, green onions, and sunflower seeds.

Conclusion

Creamy lentil curry with coconut milk pairs well with many dishes including rice. Flatbread with lentil curry is a favorite as there's nothing better than scooping up a delicious curry with beautifully layered and soft chapati. Spiced lentils go well with mushrooms and green veggies. Additionally, you might serve lentil stew with salads or roasted cauliflower with raisins.