It’s definitely winter-ish outside.The air is crisp and cold and it rains more often than not. Yesterday I wore my winter coat for the first time and while I was glad for the warmth it also was a bit of a bummer. Oh how I would have loved to tuck into a bowl of this warming, spicy curry when I got home from my bike ride. It would have been just the thing to warm up my bones. Too bad for me that I had made this a week or so ago, and all I’ve got are delicious memories of curries past.
This lentil curry uses up some of that winter squash that is so plentiful right now. I used kabocha, but any squash from butternut to buttercup would work well here. The squash definitely adds a touch of sweetness to an otherwise spicy dish. I even threw in a block of diced tofu and it was a wonderful addition adding in a nice texture and extra protein to the dish. This meal will definitely be making the dinner rounds again. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s easy to make, very nutritious and a perfect warmer to these colder evenings. Serve over brown rice, top with yogurt or mango chutney and enjoy.
winter squash, red lentil & tofu curry
1 T canola oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 inch knob of ginger
2 stalks celery, diced
1 t salt
1 heaping T of garam masala curry paste (or use regular curry/garam masala powder)
1 T ground cumin
1/2 small kabocha squash (or any other winter squash), diced
1 c red lentils
5 c veggie broth or water
1 block of tofu, dicedIn a large heavy pot, heat up oil over med-high heat, add in onions, garlic, ginger and celery and saute until soft and fragrant. Sprinkle in salt, cumin and curry paste and stir until spices coat vegetables. Stir in the squash and lentils. Add in water or broth, lower heat and cover pot. Simmer for 15 minutes and then stir in tofu. Let simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are soft, about another 5 minutes. Serve over brown rice.
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Perfect dish to enjoy during these wintery days!!
I’m always looking for relatively simple (and of course, delicious) meals to make on my non-client nights. This is my perfect kind of food. Thanks!
This sounds fabulous.
perfection. it’s raining cats and dogs here, so I can totally picture myself with a huge bowl of this and something good on tv. (good luck with the latter, I know.)
thanks veggiegirl, i think so too!
hope you love it, dana!
thanks, kalyn!
havecake, sounds like a good evening (and yes, best wishes on finding something good!!)
I just made this tonight with butternut squash. It was delicious. Definitely a make-again.
Thanks!
We haven’t even had Thanksgiving here yet, but I’m already looking past the holiday to dinners like this afterwards. I love simple, homey lentil stews.
this looks yummy.
I’m back to the world of the internet after a short hiatus. I’m in desperate need of some good recipes for quick and hearty meals as I am running low on energy from all that packing and unpacking. This sounds like the perfect pick-me-up meal to satisfy me on many levels. Back to unpacking boxes I go :-/
robin, glad you loved this! it’s so warm and comforting now.
caviar, i know, lentil stews may not look like much, but they certainly do fill a comfortable void 🙂
homemaker, it is yummy!
bijoux, good luck on the unpacking! i’m sure it’s a huge job and one i’m not envious of! this would be a perfect easy recipe for an after-move dinner 🙂
Oh I love the sound and look of this!! A perfect satisfying healthy meal. I’ll definitely have to try it out.
eatme, while it doesn’t look like much, it’s very delicious!
i’m making this right now and am having a hell of a time getting the broth to be absorbed…not sure what i did wrong. it looks and smells delicious though!
megan, are you using red lentils? red lentils will break down in the broth and turn it into stew. good luck and let me know if it works out!
yes, red lentils. it finally thickened up after i turned up the heat on it for a while. likely culprit was my choice of pan… it’s delicious though!
glad it worked out, megan! i always use a cast iron pot which really retains heat so everything cooks really quickly! phew 🙂
Made it tonight! Skipped the tofu as we were having salmon. Although I was using a big dutch oven I too had to turn the heat up to get some of the moisture to cook off. Loved it with Sharwood’s Mango Chutney and the yogurt. Another win! 🙂