Warming Curried Lentils (Optionally V)
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients:
For the Curry:
1 Cup Brown Lentils
1 Large White Onion, diced
1/2 Cup canned, diced Tomatoes
3-4 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 Tbsp Curry Powder
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
A dash of Cayenne (adjust to your desired level of heat)
A dash of Cinnamon
A couple of pinches of Salt (~3/4 tsp)
A Few cracks of Black Pepper
1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk
2 Cups Water or Broth (chicken, beef, bone broth, veggie, etc.)
Cooking Oil (ie., Ghee)
For Serving:
Jasmine/Basmati Rice
Instructions:
1. Prep Ingredients:
Wash and strain the lentils and set aside.
Dice the white onion and set aside.
Mince the garlic and set aside.
2. Cook Rice
Cook rice according to the instructions on the package.
3. Sauté Aromatics:
While the rice is cooking, start making the lentils
Turn your instant pot onto the sauté setting and add a generous dollop of ghee.
Sauté the diced white onion in the ghee until it becomes slightly translucent and soft, about 3-5 minutes.
4. Add Garlic and Spices:
Stir in the minced garlic, cumin, curry powder, turmeric, fennel seeds, cayenne (adjust to taste), cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
Continue sautéing until the spices become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
5. Combine Ingredients:
Add the lentils, diced tomatoes, unsweetened coconut milk, and water or broth to the instant pot. Stir everything together to combine.
6. Pressure Cook:
Set the instant pot to pressure cook for 6 minutes.
7. Quick Release Steam:
Once the 6 minutes are up, perform a quick release of the steam to safely open the instant pot.
8. Serve and Enjoy:
Ladle the warm and flavorful lentil curry into serving bowls over rice.
Top each serving with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream for added creaminess and enjoy your delicious and nutritious meal!
*This recipe can easily be made vegan by using vegetable broth instead of animal broth, coconut cream/dairy free sour cream instead of greek yogurt, and plant-based cooking oil instead of ghee!
