Recipe: Coconut-Curry Lentil Stew over Quinoa

When I met my hubby, he had never tasted curry, lentils or quinoa. (Quite a shame, actually.) So when he went crazy for a recipe I cooked up on a recent summer evening with all three ingredients, I just had to share it with our YDT readers.

Check out this hearty creation shared by a user of Allrecipes.com: it’s vegan, gluten-free and full of flavor. Plus, it’s super healthy and full of plant-based protein.

Coconut-Curry Lentil Stew over Quinoa

(slightly modified from original)

Ingredients

Quinoa

2 cups quinoa

3 ½ cups waters

1 teaspoon salt

Lentil Stew

2 tablespoons coconut (or other) oil

1 small onion, chopped

6 gloves garlic, minced

5 large tomatoes (very ripe), chopped

1 cup water

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (can be light)

1 tablespoon molasses or brown sugar

¼ cup coconut powder (optional)

1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick

3 tablespoons curry powder

2 tablespoons ground coriander

1-2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

2 cups red lentils

salt and pepper to taste

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Quinoa: Soak the quinoa in a bowl filled with cold water for 5 minutes, then drain using a fine mesh strainer and rinse with running water. Drain water from quinoa, then bring the water and salt to boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid and is tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

2. Lentil Stew: Melt oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Pour in the water and coconut milk, and add the molasses (or brown sugar), coconut powder, cinnamon, curry powder, ground coriander and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then stir in the lentils, and cook until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir frequently as the lentils cook to keep them from sticking. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will quickly lose shape and become a paste.

3. Once lentils are done, season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the chopped cilantro, Serve over a bed of quinoa.

Click here for the original recipe and here for its nutritional information.

We’d like to give a special thanks to Lindsay L. of Allrecipes.com for sharing her recipe on a public forum.

Photos via Jake Slagle and Molamoni of Flickr and Emily Goldstone