Last night I made a Lentil and Egg curry, this is a favourite of my family and my Nana use to make the most amazing version of it. It is great for kids too, not too spicy and really healthy. You may think using eggs in a curry sounds a little crazy but it really does taste good, you have to try it!!!

My Nana always used red split pea lentils, I couldn’t get hold of these yesterday so I decided to try this with Spanish Castellana lentils. These are a green lentil which keep its shape and texture fairly well, rather than the chana dal lentils (yellow split pea) or the red which mush up when cooked.

It worked really well, something a little different too. I also added some butternut squash for sweetness and served it with my Tamarind Rice……perfect Autumnal dish….

Serves 4, cook time approx 45 minutes, difficulty easy

Ingredients:

1 large onion diced

1 small squash diced (mine weighed 597g before cutting) also reserve the seeds

5 fresh tomatoes

280g castellana lentils

4 eggs

2 tbsp. Oil

4 cloves garlic

40g ginger grated

2 red birdseye chillies

2 tbsp. coriander seeds

1 tbsp. cumin seeds

1 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

4 cardamom pods seeds only

1 tsp turmeric

salt

1 tsp sugar

Handful chopped fresh coriander

Water

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.

Before you start your food prep get the lentils cooking.  Pop into a large pan with around 4 cups of water and a good pinch of salt, bring to the boil and cook until tender.  Keep your eye on this and add little bits of boiling water if it sticks but I normally use 4 cups (approx. 1 ¾ pints) to the 280g of lentils.  Cooking time is around 30 minutes which is enough time to get your curry on the go!

While the lentils are cooking dry fry the spices; coriander, cumin, fenugreek and cardamom..

Once you smell the aroma remove from the heat and grind.  I use a coffee grinder but if you don’t have one you can use a pestle and mortar; it’ll just take a little longer.

Grind to powder, then add in the turmeric and one of the chillies and grind again.  If using a pestle and mortar chop the chillies as small as you can and add to the powder.

Next take 3 of the tomatoes place in a hand blender with the garlic and blitz up to be liquid. Set aside.

Now take a good deep frying pan (one that can be placed in the oven) add in the oil and the onions and cook until soft.  Once soft take out half of the onions and blitz up into the tomato and garlic mix.

Set aside again.

Add the squash to the pan with the remaining onions and cook for 3 minutes

Then add the ginger and the remaining full chilli (prick this with a knife to release a mild heat)

Now add in the ground spices…

Coat the squash well.

Now pour in the tomato mix.

Stir well, then add approx 300ml water to the blender container to get all the tomato juices out, add this to the pan too.

Next cut the remaining two tomaotes into wedges and add to the pan

Season really well with salt, I would say at least a teaspoon and add the sugar, stir well.

At this point your lentils should be cooked and they should have soaked up most of the water and be soft with a slight bite.

Pour these into the pan with any remaining water

mix well

Cover with foil and place into the oven.

Now while this is cooking start your rice, I have blogged this recipe before;

https://lululemonandlace.com/recipes/curries/south-indian-fish-curry/

TAMARIND RICE

Ingredients

I mug Basmati rice (just use your normal coffee mug)

2 mugs boiling water

1 small Onion sliced (I used red)

1/2 tbsp Black Mustard seeds

1/2 tbsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp Tamarind paste

3/4 cloves

2 tbsp Sunflower/Veg Oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan that has a secure lid. Add the onions and fry until browned.

Next add in the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds cook for a few seconds until they start to pop, then add in the turmeric, cloves, tamarind paste and salt. Stir well.

Stir in the rice and coat it in all of the spices.

Keep the heat on high then add the boiling water; stir well.

Bring this back to the boil then cover with the lid and turn the heat to the lowest.  Cook for 20 minutes.  DO NOT REMOVE THE LID DURING THIS TIME!

After 20 minutes turn the heat off but still keep the pan covered for another 10 minutes.

Uncover and fluff up with a fork then you’re ready to serve.

After the 2o minutes of the rice cooking time and you have turned the heat off check on the curry in the oven.  Taste and see if it needs more seasoning, and check if the squash is soft.

Once the squash is tender add the fresh coriander, stir well and remove the foil then place back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

At this point place the seeds from the squash on a baking tray season well and pop in the oven.

Lastly boil your eggs!!

Place the eggs in a pan with cold water to cover them, bring to the boil once the water is bubbling away time the eggs for 4 1/2 minutes, this will leave the eggs hard boiled but with a very slightly soft yellow.  You do not want the yolk too runny for this dish.

Once cooked place them into cold water for a minute and peel while still warm.

Now you’re ready to plate up!  Take the curry and squash seeds out of the oven, halve the eggs and place over the curry and sprinkle with the seeds, serve up with the rice.

Enjoy, and have a fantastic weekend.

Love Lulu xx

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