In anticipation of all the heavy meals coming our way for the holiday season – and the fact that we’re all going to be in a petri dish of cold/flu exposure with the requisite outings – I’m offering up a highly flavored, nutrient-dense and vegetarian lunch for us all this week. In fact, if you skip the yogurt, this lunch is vegan; although yogurt balances the heat in this dish nicely. If you are not a fan of hot peppers, use a half of a sweet pepper, instead.
This dish comes together in minutes as long as you have everything prepped – your peppers and garlic minced, your ginger microplaned, the apple chopped, your lentils soaked (place in a medium bowl, cover with water and let sit an hour or more), your spices measured into a ramekin or similar. I eat this dish approximately once a month!
For the Pilaf:
Measure 1 c. basmati rice into a saucepan, cover with 2 c. water. Add 1/2 t. salt, 2 bay leaves, 5 peppercorns, 2 cracked cardamom pods, and 3 whole cloves. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the seeds and aromatics.
For the Curry:
1 c. soaked red lentils – the soaking will cause them to expand quite a bit
4 T. olive or avocado oil
4 minced garlic cloves
2-inch chunk of peeled ginger, grated with a microplane grater
2 serrano peppers, minced
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
1 t. curry powder
1 t. turmeric
1 t. ground coriander
16 oz. crushed tomatoes
16 oz. full-fat coconut milk
1 c. chopped cilantro
1 lime
Heat the oil in a large saute pan and add the garlic, ginger, peppers and apples, stirring constantly for two minutes. Add spices and tomatoes, then the lentils. Stir until blended. Add coconut milk. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Squeeze lime juice over curry, add the cilantro and stir until blended.
To Assemble:
Into five, wide-mouth canning jars, measure 1/3 c. basmati pilaf, then 3/4 c. curried lentils. Top with 2 T. plain, full-fat yogurt, followed by a heaping tablespoon of your favorite chutney, followed by 1 sliced Persian cucumber. Screw on the lids and place in your fridge to grab and go!
Errin Stevens blogs, bakes, gardens, and chases dust bunnies at her home in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her three novels – Updrift, Breakwater, and Outrush – are available everywhere fine books are sold, and you can visit her web site at https://errinstevens.com/
Originally posted 2024-11-18 20:38:57.
