Rhubarb & Lentil Curry

Rhubarb & Lentil Curry

This lovely seasonal curry has a tangy, tamarind-like taste – rhubarb is actually a vegetable not a fruit, as I discovered – and the dish always gets a big thumbs up. It’s nice on its own or else try serving with Chickpea & Sweet Potato Curry, as the slightly sweet flavours of this contrast very nicely with the rhubarb in the other dish. And if you’re lucky enough to have a glut of rhubarb, this makes a great change from rhubarb crumble or rhubarb and ginger compote!

Gluten free
Wheat free
Low fat, low sugar
Freezable
Cheap

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Total time

50-60 minutes

Cuisine

Indian and Indian Subcontinent

Meal

  • mains
  • lunches
  • sides-light-meals-and-salads
  • vegetable-side-dishes

Servings

4-6

Ingredients

Stage 1: Vegetables

  • 350g/12oz rhubarb, washed and cut into 2cm/1 inch chunks
  • 3 onions, chopped or sliced fine
  • 1 stick celery, chopped
  • 2 medium-large peppers, chopped into chunks – red, yellow or orange
  • 1 tbsp plain vegetable oil for cooking

Stage 2: Spice mixture

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped or crushed
  • 50g ginger, peeled and chopped roughly or grated (about two big thumb-sized pieces
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • Pinch chilli flakes or ¼ tsp chilli powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp salt

Stage 3: Lentils and stock

  • 150g/5oz puy or whole brown lentils
  • 700ml vegan stock

Stage 4: Final flavourings

  • 250g/9oz cooked white potato, diced in medium chunks
  • 2 tbsp of dark brown sugar
  • Salt and black pepper

To serve

  • Brown long grain or brown basmati rice to cook OR ready-cooked pouches
  • Plain vegan yoghurt – a thick coconut-based vegan yoghurt would be particularly nice
  • Chopped fresh coriander or parsley

ALL KITTED OUT

Chopping board and knife; measuring spoons; electric or hand spice grinder or similar (a pestle and mortar does the trick but takes longer); Large saucepan for curry; medium-large for the rice if cooking from scratch – or a microwave dish if reheating precooked rice; sieve to wash lentils (and rice from scratch if necessary); wooden or silicone spoon; vegetable peeler plus medium-small pan or steamer for potatoes if cooking from scratch.

Instructions

  1. Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the oil. When it is hot, add the chopped onion and cook on a low heat until the onions have started to caramelise. Now add the celery and peppers. Sauté (lightly fry) everything for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add a splash of water if it starts to stick.
  2. Meanwhile, use an electric or hand-operated spice grinder to make the spice mixture. Blitz until it forms a paste. Add it to the pan and stir in.
  3. Add the rhubarb, lentils and stock to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Put brown rice on now if cooking from scratch.
  4. If you don’t have pre-cooked potatoes, boil or steam them now.
  5. Taste to see if the lentils are tender and if not, continue cooking them for another 10-15 minutes.
  6. When the lentils are tender, add the cooked potatoes and stir in. Add the sugar and taste. Add more salt if necessary plus some black pepper. If using pre-cooked rice, heat it up now.
  7. Dish out the hot rice, sprinkle the herbs on the curry and serve everthing with the yoghurt on the side.

Optional extras / notes

  • Serves fewer as a main dish, more with other side dishes

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