August 11, 2023
Lentil Chickpea Curry!
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A delicious and easy lentil chickpea curry which is the perfect dinner idea for the every day, super easy and adaptable!
This recipe is super easy to make, so quick to throw together, and utterly delicious for the perfect weeknight meal.
Savoury recipes
As you may have noticed, I have started posting more and more savoury recipes, because I adore cooking. I know, shock and horror that I am doing savoury bits and bobs really, but is it shock and horror?
I’m joking really, but several people have pointed out I am called Jane’s Patisserie… but the name has stuck, and I want to expand. I love cooking so much so I just want to give you everything and anything in recipe for that I love.
My macaroni cheese and my chicken, bacon and leek pie went down an absolute storm, so I know this recipe will as well. These recipes are all designed to just give a bit of inspiration, as the rules change with cooking – you can basically do what you want!
Dinner ideas
I love easy dinner ideas that take as little faff as possible, but taste great. The kind of recipes that you can make any day of the week, batch cook, or just cook because you fancy something. This lentil chickpea curry is exactly that.
My creamy garlic chicken is another one of those sort of recipes, as it’s much easier to make than you think and it is FULL of flavour. I know making a curry is a bit of a random one, but it was one of those meals I decided to make based on what I had in the cupboard, and it worked wonders.
My new book
My new book is out now, and it’s concept is Everyday – the idea being that you can make anything from it every day and it’ll work. It’s designed to inspire you to maybe try more things that you normally wouldn’t on the every day as well. I know the ideas of making custard slices, or party rings, doesn’t seem ‘everyday’ but honestly, they are and they can be.
The sheer amount of love for this book has given me such a boost to bring more delicious ‘everyday’ style recipes as you all want more, so here you are. This lentil chickpea curry is something I make on the regular now as it’s so easy, full of flavour, and it’s healthy.
The curry
The curry itself sounds like quite a few ingredients, but it’s not actually too bad – putting it all together really is quite quick and it’s worth grabbing your biggest pan to cook this in – it makes about 6 portions (Depending on personal preference), so I tend to make a full batch and freeze for the future if I am not eating it all in one go.
- Vegetables – Onion, red pepper, frozen spinach
- Tinned goods – chickpeas, lentils, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk
- Spices – Garlic, curry powder, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper
- Extras – oil, and lemon juice
Flavours
The flavours that I put into this curry are purely what I like, and what I had. I always season with salt and pepper as it’s a crime if you don’t in my mind, and then I had a little fun. The curry powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper brought so much flavour to bring warmth to the curry but to not over power it.
The lemon juice at the end just brings out the flavours and sharpens it up, and it marries so well with the tomatoes, chickpeas, lentils, coconut milk and spinach. I used frozen spinach as I always have it in the freezer, but you can 100% use fresh if you wish. The only downside, fresh spinach takes up a tonne more room that frozen in the pan until it wilts.
I like to serve mine with coriander flavour rice – I just finely chop some coriander up and mix it through the cooked rice – and then a naan on the side would be delicious.
Tips & Tricks
- This will last for 3-4 days in the fridge once cooked and cooled, or it can freeze for 3 + months
- You can swap and change the spices to what you fancy to make it how you like it
- I used the green lentils in a tin and drained the water, and I used the chickpeas in the tin and drained the water
- Serve it how you like!!
Lentil Chickpea Curry!
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions (finely chopped)
- 1 red pepper (chopped)
- 3+ garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 400 g tin full-fat coconut milk
- 400 g tin lentils (drained)
- 400 g tin chickpeas (drained)
- 200 g frozen spinach
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Grab a large saucepan or frying pan and heat the oil on a medium heat
- Add the finely chopped onion and fry until softened
- Add the red pepper, garlic, curry powder, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper and fry for a couple of minutes
- Add the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, chickpeas and lentils and mix
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chickpeas and lentils have softened
- Add the frozen spinach, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to your liking
- Simmer for a further few minutes until ready to serve
Notes
- This will last for 3-4 days in the fridge once cooked and cooled, or it can freeze for 3 + months
- You can swap and change the spices to what you fancy to make it how you like it
- I used the green lentils in a tin and drained the water, and I used the chickpeas in the tin and drained the water
- Serve it how you like!!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Loved this. My curry powder was out of date so I used garam masala and a tsp of deggi mirch. I also added some frozen chopped chilli and frozen grated ginger from the freezer, and a handful or two of rocket – using up my fridge, basically.
Had it for lunch with a couple of poppadoms, some mango chutney and some greek yoghurt whizzed up with green jalapenos and lemon juice. Absolutely great.
Wow, absolutely delicious! My children loved it too so will be a staple in our house now. I added peas too as they work so well in a curry and swapped out the curry powder for garam masala and turmeric plus added a few chillies. Will be trying the garlic chicken recipe next.
This is a truly delicious curry and didn’t even realise it was vegan! I’m not vegan but this is yummy, all the ingredients put together make it yum. Also tried it with reduced fat coconut milk and seems to be ok but the recipe splits a little – give it a gentle stir.
I am allergic to coconut what can I use instead
I made this for lunch today and it was wonderful! The addition of lemon juice makes a big and good difference – very tasty. I was after a reasonably healthy and easy vegetarian dish and this is perfect.
This sounds amazing! I have a pack of red lentils, would these still work in this recipe? X
Yes, they should work well! Just check if they need soaking first x
Hi, I am watching calories, would I have to use full fat coconut milk? what would be the difference please?
Can’t wait to try this looks lovely and I like the idea of coriander in the rice love savoury and if your savouries are as lovely as your sweets they will be fab wishing you all the success in your savoury endevours
This sounds yummy! Not a fan of peppers though. Do you have a vegetable substitution recommendation please?
Use anything you like, or leave them out! x