I have a minor obsession with my children loving Indian food for no reason other than I love it myself and cannot wait to take them to India which I think is one of the most fascinating and special countries in the world. They love a Tadka Dal and with this in mind I made this Cauliflower and Lentil Curry.
To me Indian food is the perfect non-waste food as with a pinch of spice any leftover vegetables can become a delicious meal. Just a handful of lentils can be transformed into a feast. There is so much variety and that includes curries which are not hot. This one has no chilli in it at all and is perfect for anyone who prefers a flavoursome but mild curry. Of course you can also add some chill if you like things hot.
You will notice the cauliflower has been roasted first – I would urge you not to skip this step. The way in which this helps the cauliflower absorb the flavour and also match the softness of the lentils is what elevates this curry. I prep the cauliflower and pop it in the oven while I make the lentil sauce so it doesn’t take any longer. Although this is a creamier curry, it’s coconut which is adding the richness rather than cream so this is perfect for anyone who cannot eat dairy or vegan kids.
So was it a hit? Yes, not just with the kids but also my spice loving husband who decided not to add chilli to his as he liked it so much as it was!
Cauliflower and Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- For the roast cauliflower
- I cauliflower split into florets
- A spray of oil or 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 200g red lentils
- 400ml can coconut milk
- 200ml water
- small bunch coriander, chopped
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
- Step 2 Toss or spray the cauliflower and in oil and spread it out on a large oven tray. Sprinkle over the ground coriander. Roast for 25mins until soft but not falling apart.
- Step 3 While it is cooking, fry the onion in a tablespoon of oil until it is soft (add a little water if it starts to dry out).
- Step 4 Stir in the garam masala and turmeric, cook together with the onion for a couple of minutes then add the lentils, coconut milk and water.
- Step 5 Bring up to the boil and simmer for 20mins. By now your cauliflower should be ready (if not just turn the heat off the sauce until it is), add to the sauce.
- Step 6 Cook the lentil sauce and cauliflower together for another 10mins. If it looks too dry add just a bit more water. Stir through the chopped fresh coriander.
I would never have thought to roast the cauliflower first! Interested to find out what difference this makes. Great recipe. I’ll definitely be trying this!
It really makes the cauliflower soft and the texture blend better with the creamy sauce while still holding its own. I hope you like it!
I would never have thought to roast the cauliflower first! Interested to find out what difference this makes. Great recipe. I’ll definitely be trying this!
I love cauliflower, but never tried roasting it, this recipe would be a good start!
Starting to roast cauliflower changed how I felt about them and they are on my plate a lot more as a result!
This looks so delicious ,love it. xxx
This looks soooo good! I love each of these main ingredients separately and they’re probably divine together. I’m trying to substitute more meals for vegan dishes and I’m so making this when I go home.
Wow, as a huge fan of cauliflower, I mean I do eat it oftenly. This is a great idea to cook, didn’t know that cauliflower must be roasted first never that though but the result is promising. I can’t wait to make one at home.
This looks so good. My kids are not exotic eaters at all, but somehow still love curry. I definitely think I’ll make this for them to give it a try. Great post!
I hope they enjoy it!
This looks wonderful. There is no way my children would try this though!
Ahhh I bet one day it will be a favourite food for them!
I love Indian Food Ilda San-bar, Masala Dosas, Chicken Korma and Samosa Chat’s are some of my favorites. This recipe is sounds fantastic, and I can not wait to try it. I love new ways to use cauliflower too so this will be a win win for me 🙂
This looks so yummy … Good veg option , thanks
I am always looking for great recipes to try. I feel like I love to try new things but always end up going back to my tried and trues. Definitely pinning this to make for dinner this week. Great post!
cauliflower!! my absolute favourite , im going to try this today. thank you for the easy to follow steps
This looks so good! loved the combination, it’s so new to me, never tried it before, but I might do!