Old-Fashioned Lentil Curry
Servings: 4
Calories: 347kcal
This Old-Fashioned Lentil Curry is adapted from a vintage 1970s Rose Elliot recipe and is an easy, budget-friendly meal. It can be prepared in advance and can be adapted to suit individual preferences or ingredients you have available. Although curries are technically Indian cuisine Elliot describes this lentil curry as English style. English style curries date back to Victorian Britain.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Deep large non-stick frying pan / skillet
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 225 grams green lentils [rinse to remove dust, etc]
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 stock cube [halfed, or 2 teaspoons stock powder]
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 large onion [finely diced]
- 1 small apple [peeled & finely diced]
- 4 cloves garlic [finely diced, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder or garlic puree]
- 1½ tablespoons curry powder [I used madras curry powder]
- 3 tablespoons sultanas [optional]
Stirred through at the end of cooking:
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice [add extra to taste, or white wine vinegar]
- 130 grams cucumber [about ½ small cucumber, can replace with cooked fresh or frozen peas]
Instructions
Cook the lentils
- Add the lentils to a saucepan with about 1.2 litres (1100 millilitres / 2 pints / 1 quart] of water, along with ½ stock cube and bay leaf.Cook until the lentils are still whole and firm but cooked through. I used green lentils and they were cooked after 35 minutes. Add small amounts of extra water if necessary as the lentils cook to prevent the water drying out.Set aside while you cook the curry or if already done the next stages add the lentils to the cooked onion mixture as detailed below.225 grams green lentils, 1 bay leaf, 1 stock cube
Cook the curry
- Heat the oil over a medium heat and over a low-medium heat cook the onion, apple, sultanas, curry powder, and garlic until the onion has softened. This may take between 10-15 minutes, after 10 minutes add about 280 millilitres [1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of water] and the remaining ½ of the stock cube.Stir frequently throughout cooking.2 tablespoons oil , 1 large onion , 1 small apple, 4 cloves garlic, 1½ tablespoons curry powder, 3 tablespoons sultanas
- Stir through the cooked lentils along with any remaining liquid - although there likely won't be much liquid.
- Stir through the cucumber or cooked peas.130 grams cucumber
- Season with salt and pepper, and lemon juice (or white wine vinegar) - to taste.1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Heat the curry up till nice and hot before serving. If preferred you can add a little extra water but this curry is not intended to be a saucy one.
Serving suggestion
- Enjoy with rice or creamy mashed potatoes. Mango chutney and/or mint sauce or a scoop of vegan mayonnaise is a nice accompaniment, as is naan bread or homemade flatbreads - see a link in the recipe notes to our 3-ingredient flatbread recipe.
Notes
Serving suggestions
- cooked rice, noodles
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- naan breads or home-made flatbreads
- spring rolls
- vegetable pakora
- vegetable samosa
- vegetable bajis
- condiments: mango chutney, mint sauce, vegan mayonnaise
- A vintage accompaniment to British curries is sliced bananas on the side! My kids grandma had curries with bananas on the side of the plate during the 60s and 70s. Don't knock it until you try it!
- replace the apple with courgette or vegetable marrow
- sultanas can be omitted
- split peas can replace the lentils - cook until soft but still firm
- Use dried lentils or canned lentils: If preferred, use 3 cans (400g/14 oz each) of whole lentils instead of cooking dried lentils. Drain the lentils, reserving some of the can liquid. Stir in a little of the reserved liquid as needed to create your preferred curry consistency.
- store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- or freeze for 2-3 months
- add to a non-stick saucepan or skillet along with a small amount of water and reheat until piping hot, stir frequently.
- place into a covered microwave dish and reheat for 2 ½ minutes, stir, and then reheat for another minute or so until piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 0.04mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 5mg
