One-Pot Curry In A Hurry. Have you had a long day at work? Do you just want to chuck everything into a pot and let it cook itself? Then this is the dish for you. By the time you have put on your comfies and slippers this creamy, indulgent one-pot curry will be ready to be eaten.
Serves 2
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon good-quality yellow curry spice mix, plus more if required
1 carrot, chopped into small pieces 1/2 aubergine (eggplant), chopped into small pieces
1 potato, chopped into small pieces
45 g (11/2 oz / 1/4 cup) dried red lentils
400 ml (14 fl oz / 11/2 cups) coconut milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter
big handful of spinach
big bunch of basil
salt and pepper, to taste
To serve
pomegranate seeds
chopped peanuts
squeeze of lime
coriander (cilantro) leaves
edible flowers (optional)
Heat a frying pan (skillet) over medium heat. Add the oil and gently fry the shallot and garlic until transparent. Then add the curry spice mix, carrot, aubergine and potato and fry for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the lentils followed by the coconut milk and simmer over low heat, covered, for 25 minutes.
Remove the lid, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt or more spice mix, add a dollop of peanut butter and stir in a handful of spinach and basil. I also love to scatter over pomegranate seeds and peanuts for extra crunch and give it a final squeeze of lime to cut through the creaminess of the curry, then throw over a few coriander leaves and edible flowers, to add some colour.
Serve as it is or with some steamed rice, quinoa or buckwheat on the side.
Curries are great when cooked in bigger batches – often they taste even better the next day because the flavours have had a chance to marry.
This is an edited extract from Happy Food by Bettina Bordi Campolucci published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.99 NZ $34.99 AU and is available in stores nationally.
