EASY LIVING - A CURRY FOR 'ORGANIC SEPTEMBER'
HEMSLEY+HEMSLEY Squash, red lentil and coconut curry for
This is a simple, no fuss, one pot, colourful supper that comes in at just under £1 a portion with a base of organic ingredients. We’ve been making versions of this dish for the last 4 years - friends loved it because it was tasty, healthy and so easy to knock together - so much so that it became the inspiration for our cooking classes and later - our company.
We thought that this was just the dish to fit The Soil Association's brief for their September ‘Small Changes’ campaign.
The Soil Association asked us to create a family meal for 4 people for just £6. Since we often double this recipe and freeze it for a mid-week supper we thought we’d show you how cost effective this dish can be because it works so well in bulk. The Soil Association also asked for at least one ingredient to be organic as - we’ve managed 6 of the 12 ingredients!
Super easy, no technique needed - freezes and reheats beautifully with a dash more water - a great one to make once a week that everyone always loves (your kids will love this too, just leave out the spice).
The star of this show is one of our favourite products - a bar of organic creamed coconut by Biona from £1.79. We love this bar of nourishing coconut cream and oil - it is richer/ more concentrated than coconut milk so you use much less - you can chop off what you need and save the rest in your fridge for ages (unlike tinned coconut milk). Buy these Biona bars online in bulk for the best price and keep in your cupboard to add to curries, soups, porridges and smoothies. You can also do other clever things such as using just the coconut oil to fry with i.e. garlic and onions but in the case this of this stew, with it’s bold flavours, we don’t need to - which is why we love it all the more - one pot, throw it in dish!
Our squash & lentil coconut stew is inspired by an Indian dahl and a Thai curry. Red split lentils provide the base for this dish, they are cheap, cook to a creamy consistency in 20 minutes and don't require any soaking. The stew boasts other hard-working ingredients - we’ve got garlic, onions and spinach - but any seasonal greens will do. The coconut and ginger have incredible immune-boosting properties and are antibacterial and antiviral - perfect for the change in weather ahead. The fat content of organic virgin coconut oil is not only a fantastic source of energy, it is also good for the heart - so please no reduced-fat versions of coconut milk in your cooking.
As usual we like to sneak nourishing home-made stock into all our cooking - dirt cheap, find a local organic butcher and buy some chicken carcasses or take home some beef bones for free and slow cook them for hours - don’t forget that you can use your leftover roast chicken carcasses in the same way. For this recipe, bone broth is more for the nutritional value than the taste. The stew is so flavourful you can afford to skip the home-made stock if you haven’t taken the time to make your own - please don't be tempted to use stock cubes!
The coconut and butternut make this dish naturally sweet so children love it - just leave out the chilli in the cooking - you can always sprinkle a little cayenne on your own dish later - just go easy! Fresh coriander adds wonderful flavour as well as garnishing the dish nicely - making this one pot supper smart enough to serve to guests.
And did we mention that this is delicious cold? Packed lunches sorted!
http://www.easyliving.co.uk/recipes/main-courses/squash-red-lentil-coconut-curry
2 medium organic butternut squash
Organic red split lentils
1 bar Biona organic creamed coconut
Organic baby spinach or use cabbage/seasonal greens, sliced
7 cloves organic garlic, chopped
150g fresh coriander, washed well
2 small limes or 1 and a half large lemons, juiced
6 inches fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped
Optional ½ tsp cayenne or chilli flakes
Peel the squash and dice into 1 inch chunks.
Place the garlic, onion, ginger and squash into the pan with the creamed coconut and pour over 2.2 litres of water or homemade stock.
Put the lid on and bring to a medium simmer.
10 minutes later, add the red lentils, chilli or black pepper if using, stir and let simmer on medium for a further 15-20 minutes until the lentils are soft and the squash is tender. You might wish to add the extra 200ml of water during cooking - it depends if you like your stew thicker or thinner.
In the last few minutes, add the sliced cabbage/greens and stir through. If using spinach, just add when you turn off the heat so it wilts.
Turn off the heat, add the sea salt and pepper, the juice of the lime or lemon and check for seasoning and consistency - it should be like a thick stew - add more water if needs be.
Stir through the roughly chopped coriander and ladle into shallow bowls to serve.
http://www.soilassociation.org/
http://www.soilassociation.org/smallchangesbigdifference/todaysrecipe/recipe/articleid/5917/squash-lentil-coconut-stew
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