Red Lentil And Tofu Curry Food

RED LENTIL CURRY

Steps:

• Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear. Put lentils in a pot with enough water to cover; bring to a boil, place a cover on the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, adding water during cooking as needed to keep covered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions in hot oil until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Mix curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger together in a large bowl; stir into the onions. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato puree, remove from heat and stir into the lentils.

TOFU LENTIL CURRY

Steps:

• Drain tofu, and squeeze water out with your method of choice, being careful not to crumble tofu. Dice tofu and toss with 1 tbsp of curry powder. Set tofu aside and allow it to absorb flavor while prepping vegetables.
• After dicing vegetables, heat oil in the bottom of a stew pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add tofu. Allow tofu to sear until brown for a couple of mins, then turn them and allow the other sides to brown. Add diced onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and saute until onions are translucent. I like my carrots soft, so I microwave or boil them for a few mins before adding them, but feel free to add them straight in if you like.
• Add coconut milk, the remaining curry powder, cinnamon stick, and water, increase heat to medium high, and stir. While curry is coming to a simmer, rinse lentils well in a colander and add when a simmer is achieved. Simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally, or until lentils are cooked soft to the tooth. If your family prefers a thicker consistency, add water/corn starch mixture now and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add peas. Season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and serve with or without rice. Garnish with crumbled cashews if desired.

TOFU CURRY

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 tbsp of the oil in a large, wide, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the tofu with a pinch of salt for 5 mins, turning every couple of minutes until golden brown. Remove to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan, then fry half the onions for 5 mins, stirring often until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste, stir-frying for a minute, then add the turmeric and cook for another 30 seconds to release the flavour.
• Stir in the coconut milk, then return the tofu to the pan along with the lime juice and 100ml water, and simmer for 5 mins. Stir in the spinach and the coriander, and cook for 1 min until wilted, then season.
• Serve the curry in bowls topped with the coriander leaves and the remaining onion, the lime wedges for squeezing over, and the chapatis on the side.