Red Lentil Curry with Chard
Curry is one of my favorite dishes, I could eat it every week! There are so many varieties that I never get tired of it. Here is a delicious recipe of Red Lentil Curry with Chard, inspired by the Indian cuisine. A healthy and balanced dish rich in flavors.
Why red lentils for this curry?
For this lentil curry, I chose red lentils, these are traditional in Indian cuisine. They are used in particular for the preparation of dhal or dal, an Indian dish made with beans like lentils or chickpeas.
The advantage of red lentils is that they require little cooking. Also, I like their melting texture that makes the curry thick and creamy.
Chard in curry
Chard is not typical in Indian cuisine but since I like to add a little bit some greens in my dishes and since it is the season of chard, I decided to add some to this curry. In addition, chard is rich in vitamins and fiber. Since they require a relatively long cooking time compared to other green vegetables, they are ideal for curries.
As you’ll see below in the recipe, I separate the white part from the green part and add them at different times. The white part cooks a little longer than the green part, so I add it a few minutes earlier.
Note that spinach or kale can also be substituted for chard.
The spices of this red lentil curry
As this curry recipe is inspired by Indian cuisine, I chose an Indian curry for the base of this curry: garam masala. To save time, I took a ready-made garam masala curry paste and enhanced with some spices.
This way, I can add flavor to this curry, without adding any spicyness, as garam masala is relatively hot if you are not used to it. The spices I chose to spice up this curry are: mustard seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, coriander powder and cumin powder.
Roasting the curry spices
As you will see below, I strongly recommend roasting your spices to extract maximum flavor. This step doesn’t take much time and you don’t need any additional material.
To do this, start by roasting the seeds (mustard seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds) withneutral oil (sunflower oil, peanut oil or ghee if you have it) in a large saucepan or casserole. Close the lid as the spices tend to jump around!
Then add the curry paste and the garlic and ginger and roast them as well. Finally, add the ground spices (coriander and cumin). The base of your curry is ready and the whole process only takes a few minutes (5-10 minutes).
The contact with a fatty substance (oil or ghee) will bring out the aromas and make your curry even richer in flavor.
More curry recipes
Recipe for Red Lentil Curry with Chard
For 4 servings you need the following ingredients.
Ingredients
- 350 g red lentils
- 5 stems of chard
- 400 g whole tomatoes, in can
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 750 ml of water
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 6 cm ginger, chopped
- 3 tablespoons of Garam Masala curry paste
- Salt
- Neutral oil
The spices
- 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
Preparation
Wash the chard and separate the white part from the green part. Roughly cut the two parts (see above).
In a casserole or saucepan, add a drizzle of neutral oil. Pour in the mustard, coriander and fennel seeds. Roast for a few minutes, closing the lid and stirring occasionally. Then add the garam masala, ginger and garlic. Mix well. Add the cumin and coriander powder. Roast for 1 minute.
Then pour in the tomatoes, coral lentils, water and the white part of the chard. Add salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
Then add the green part of the chard and cook for 10 minutes. Finally, pour in the coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes. The coconut milk should heat up but avoid boiling.
Serve the curry with naan bread or basmati rice.
Pictures
Find the steps of the recipe in pictures!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare this Red Lentil Curry with Chard in advance?
Yes, absolutely! The more the curry infuses, the better it will be. You can prepare it several hours in advance and heat it up in the saucepan pan or in the microwave.
This is a very practical dish when you have friends over and you want to cook in advance so you don’t have to spend the evening in the kitchen!
Can I freeze this curry?
Yes, you can freeze this curry. It keeps for several months in the freezer and is a great dish to reheat. Don’t hesitate to make double quantity!
Red Lentil Curry with Chard
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Ingredients
- 350 g red lentils
- 5 stems of chard
- 400 g whole tomatoes in can
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 750 ml of water
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 6 cm ginger chopped
- 3 tablespoons of Garam Masala curry paste
- Salt
- Neutral oil
The spices
- 1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon of mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
Instructions
- Wash the chard and separate the white part from the green part. Roughly cut the two parts (see above).
- In a casserole or saucepan, add a drizzle of neutral oil. Pour in the mustard, coriander and fennel seeds. Roast for a few minutes, closing the lid and stirring occasionally. Then add the garam masala, ginger and garlic. Mix well. Add the cumin and coriander powder. Roast for 1 minute.
- Then pour in the tomatoes, coral lentils, water and the white part of the chard. Add salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Then add the green part of the chard and cook for 10 minutes. Finally, pour in the coconut milk and cook for 5 minutes. The coconut milk should heat up but avoid boiling.
- Serve the curry with naan bread or basmati rice.
Video
Nutrition
