Egg & Lentil Curry

A community recipe by Mandy_C

Not tested or verified by Nigella.com

Introduction

This is another one of my store-cupboard favourites, inspired by Delia. I love a good curry, and this one is inexpensive but delicious. It has even got my husband eating lentils! This is much better with full-fat coconut milk than the lower fat kind. The lime pickle adds a lovely hot and sour note, but it is not essential if you don't have any. And, as with all curries, the spice mix can be adjusted to your personal taste.

Ingredients

Serves: 2

Metric Cups

mango chutney
fresh coriander
2 handfuls baby spinach
3 medium eggs
1 onion (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 chilli (chopped)
2½ centimetres fresh ginger (peeled and chopped)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom pods
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon lime pickle (chopped)
75 grams green lentils
1 can coconut milk
1 large lime (zest and juice)
200 millilitres boiling water

mango chutney
cilantro
2 handfuls baby spinach
3 medium eggs
1 onion (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 chile (chopped)
⅞ inch fresh gingerroot (peeled and chopped)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cardamom pods
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon lime pickle (chopped)
3 ounces green lentils
1 can coconut milk
1 large lime (zest and juice)
7 fluid ounces boiling water

Method

Egg & Lentil Curry is a community recipe submitted by Mandy_C and has not been tested by Nigella.com so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe.

1. Start by dry-frying the whole spices (cumin, cardamom, coriander seeds, fenugreek & fennel seeds) over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until toasty and golden. Be careful not to burn the spices or they can turn bitter. Once golden, remove the spices from the pan and set aside.

Heat a wide pan with a tbsp oil Once it is hot add the sliced onion and fry until it turns brown around the edges (about 5- minutes over a medium-high heat).

While the onion is frying, grind the toasted spices in a pestle and mortar.

Once the onion is browned add the chopped garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the ground spices and the turmeric and stir to coat the onions evenly in the spice mix.

Add the lime pickle, the lentils, the coconut milk and lime zest.

Top up with 200ml water, bring to simmering point, then cover with a tightly fitting lid and let it simmer as gently as possible for 35-45 minutes.

At this point the lentils should be tender and the sauce a good consistency. Take the pan off the heat and squeeze in the juice of a lime and add a tbsp of mango chutney. Stir to combine.

Throw in the spinach and put the lid back on (off the heat).

Meanwhile, place the eggs in a pan of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes (this will give soft but not runny yolks).

Serve the curry with rice and/or naan bread, with 3 egg halves per serving. Scatter with fresh coriander just before servin

Heat a wide pan with a tbsp oil Once it is hot add the sliced onion and fry until it turns brown around the edges (about 5- minutes over a medium-high heat).

While the onion is frying, grind the toasted spices in a pestle and mortar.

Once the onion is browned add the chopped garlic, chile and ginger and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the ground spices and the turmeric and stir to coat the onions evenly in the spice mix.

Add the lime pickle, the lentils, the coconut milk and lime zest.

Top up with 200ml water, bring to simmering point, then cover with a tightly fitting lid and let it simmer as gently as possible for 35-45 minutes.

At this point the lentils should be tender and the sauce a good consistency. Take the pan off the heat and squeeze in the juice of a lime and add a tbsp of mango chutney. Stir to combine.

Throw in the spinach and put the lid back on (off the heat).

Meanwhile, place the eggs in a pan of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes (this will give soft but not runny yolks).

Serve the curry with rice and/or naan bread, with 3 egg halves per serving. Scatter with cilantro just before servin

Additional Information

If you want to save on some of the chopping you can whizz the garlic, ginger and chilli in a food processor. Some days I like to lose myself in the rhythm and repetition of chopping, other days I like the convenience and speed of pressing a button. Any leftovers work really well re-heated and folded through scrambled eggs.