vegan cauliflower coconut curry with lentils

let’s be honest, i am a card carrying omnivore, and with the exception of maybe eggplant and okra, i love most food and will eat just about anything. that being said, i am also health and environmentally conscious, so i am always looking to find different ways to limit my meat intake, but also not lose the all important protein factor.

eat food. not too much. mostly plants. -michael pollan, in defense of food

i have always loved curries, whether it is indian or southeast asian, and often think of them as being, at the very least, a vegetarian option, so it was easily enough to make one vegan, plus i am always looking to incorporate more turmeric into my diet. also, i think because of the spices and coconut milk this recipe has a lot of flavor, and with the lentils and peas you get the protein. i don’t miss the meat.

ingredients:

• olive oil
• 5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 small cauliflower (with leaves, if possible), chopped in the small florets and pieces
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped into bite-sized disks
• 2 cups baby potatoes, cut in half or bite-sized
• salt + pepper
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh turmeric, finely grated
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp madras curry
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste, i like it spicy)
• 2 cups vegetable stock, more if needed
• 1/2 cup mixed lentils (any kind will work just adjust cooking time accordingly)
• 1 can (400ml) coconut milk
• 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 cup peas
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

instructions:

heat a generous amount of olive oil over medium high heat. it should be enough to cover the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven. i use my 7.25 qt le crueset. add the garlic and onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. stir in the cauliflower, carrots, and potatoes with a few generous sprinkles of salt, and several grinds of fresh ground pepper.

let cook about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies start to brown a bit, and a fond starts to form on the bottom of the pan. add the ginger, turmeric, and tomato paste. mix to combine.

add the dried spices and mix in well until all of the veggies are covered.

add the vegetable stock, and use a wooden spoon to scrap the fond off the bottom of the pan. add the lentils, bring to a boil, and then add the coconut milk. bring to a slow simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are done, about 20-40 minutes depending. it should be the consistency of a thick stew, but you can add a little more vegetable stock if it thickens too much, or would prefer it a little more soup like. add salt to taste.

add the lemon zest, juice and peas at the end, allowing enough time for them to warm, about 5 minutes. stir in the cilantro off heat.

serve with basmati rice.

makes about 8 cups.