Thai Green Curry Lentils

I used to be scared of lentils. I had one awful lentil dish years ago in some forgotten restaurant, and since then I've convinced myself that I just didn't like them.

But I have a vegan buddy who swears by them, for their taste and versatility. Not to mention the fact that they are low in saturated fat, high in protein and a great source of fiber. I was encouraged to try them again.

Lentils are one of the oldest legumes in recorded history, and used often in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. I'm a huge fan of Thai flavors, so for my first venture into the world of lentils, I decided to use some green curry and coconut milk to entice my taste buds. Most grocers carry green curry paste-- it keeps very well in the fridge and can even be frozen. I used spinach in this recipe, but swiss chard or kale would be tasty as well. This dish is super simple and comes together very fast-- a great weeknight meal!


Bain taitneamh as do bhéil!


PREP TIME: about 20 minutes
COOK TIME: about 20 minutes
SERVES: 4-6 people

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth, divided
3 medium red potatoes, chopped into small uniform pieces
2 large zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 large handful baby spinach, washed
1 - 14 ounce can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 small (thumb sized) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
olive oil for cooking
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS:
In a stock pot, combine 2 cups vegetable broth and lentils with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Check the lentils frequently so they don't burn. In a separate pot, combine remaining 2 cups vegetable broth and chopped potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender.

While the lentils and potatoes cook, add olive oil to a large skillet with deep sides and saute onions and garlic until just translucent. Add zucchini and saute until soft.

At this point, the lentils and potatoes should be finished cooking. Drain potatoes. Add coconut milk, green curry paste, grated ginger, potatoes and lentils to the skillet, stirring gently to incorporate vegetables and liquid. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

Add spinach to liquid and simmer one minute until wilted.

Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste.

The finished product should be a thick stew-like consistency-- you can eat it with a spoon by itself or serve it over rice!

This recipe was originally published (with some substitutions) at VegWeb.com.