For a snowy Sunday, this a wonderful, almost effortless meal. It’s a wonderfully fragrant & super clean dish that warms the house and the tummy. You can use green or yellow lentils but I prefer red lentils for their richer flavor & the fact that they tend to cook faster. I usually use Bob’s Red Mill brand which you can get at most grocery stores and definitely at Whole Foods. The creaminess of the dish is enhanced by using full fat unsweetened coconut milk but you can use reduced fat— you’ll just need to add a little more. I usually serve this over brown rice but you can also serve it over quinoa or a combo of the two. (Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice is a super easy way to pull this off quickly. They also sell a frozen brown rice/quinoa combo). Another easy shortcut is to buy the cauliflower florets or already chopped. (I wouldn’t use riced cauliflower because it will dissolve in the slow cooker). Finally I garnish it with a dollop of unsweetened almond milk yogurt when I plate it for an extra creamy presentation (you can also use coconut milk yogurt). If you enjoy cilantro, use that for serving as well. I personally prefer fresh parsley (but that’s because my entire family has the “cilantro-tastes-like-soap gene...who knew that was actually genetic!?) As always, please post your photos & comments and enjoy!!!
Ingredients-
* 2 cups dry lentils
* 1 yellow onion, diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced (jarred is fine)
* 1 package cauliflower (florets or roughly chopped)
* 1 tbsp minced ginger
* 2 tbsp red curry paste
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp turmeric
* 1/4 tsp coriander
* 1/2 tsp cumin
* 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
* 1/4 tsp cardamom
* 1 small can tomato paste plus 1.5 cans water (mixed together in a separate bowl)
* 1/2 cup coconut milk
* Fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped for garnish
* Brown rice or quinoa, cooked, for serving
* Almond milk yogurt, unsweetened, for serving
Instructions
1. Place the lentils in the bottom of the slow cooker (4-quart or larger).
2. Add the onions, garlic, cauliflower, ginger, curry paste, salt, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and cardamom. Stir to combine.
3. Pour the tomato paste/water mixture over the top of the lentil/cauliflower mixture in the slow cooker (so that the liquid covers the lentils; use more water as necessary but just to cover).
4. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours, until the lentils are soft.
5. Just before serving, stir in the coconut milk.
6. Serve over brown rice, quinoa, or starch if your choice. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and a dollop of almond milk yogurt.
