Lentil Curry
A vegan dish that's brimming with well spiced Indian flavors, a creamy coconut sauce, and it's perfectly hearty and filling thanks to the fiber and protein-rich lentils. Recipe makes about 6 cups.

#Cilantro #Cinnamon #Cloves #CoconutMilk #Coriander #CrushedTomatoes #Cumin #FennelSeeds #Fenugreek #Garlic #Lentils #MustardPowder #Onions #Paprika #Turmeric #VegetableBroth

Servings: 5
Ready in: 1 hour 20 minutes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:
2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed*
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste, it's spicy)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 Tbsp minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 1/2 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 cups vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (13.6 oz) can coconut milk
1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tsp fenugreek leaves, finely crushed after measuring**
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions:
1. To a small bowl add coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, pepper, fennel, mustard powder, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne pepper, set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Add garlic and ginger and saute 1 to 2 minutes longer.
4. Pour spices from bowl into pot and saute 30 seconds.
5. Pour in broth, tomatoes, coconut milk, lentils and fenugreek. Season with salt to taste (add a little less than you want because sauce will reduce and saltiness will become more concentrated, I start with just 1/4 tsp).
6. Bring mixture to a simmer. Then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 35 minutes. Preferably stir once halfway through.
7. Remove lid and continue to simmer until lentils are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
8. Serve warm garnished with cilantro (it pairs well with naan or basmati rice).

Notes:
*To crush the fennel seeds I place in a small resealable bag and crush with a meat mallet. Another option is to chop them.
**If you don't have fenugreek on hand you can substitute 2 bay leaves left whole (and removing them at the end of cooking). While they have a much different flavor it's still a delicious option for this curry to build up flavor.

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