Tofu, Lentil and Veggie Coconut Curry

It’s time for warmer foods like hearty soups, stews and curries. If you’ve read any of my other posts you’ll know that I'm an advocate for batch cooking, and using seasonal foods. Having extra portions that you can keep in the freezer is such a blessing for when you’re busy, lacking time, energy or inspiration.

This curry is all plant based packed full of protein, fibre, vitamins, and phytonutrients. A generous serving of vegetables (using all my leftover veggies), a cooling addition of coconut milk and lots of warming Indian spices. It’s easy to make and simple to adapt as you can pretty much use any vegetables you want.

Vegan | Easy | Prep time 10-15 minutes | Total cooking time 40 minutes | serves around 3 people depending on portion size

Ingredients:

150g dried red lentils (I soaked them previously for a few hours. This is so they’re more digestible)

1 block of firm tofu pressed and chopped into 1 inch wide chunks (I like to use Tofoo or Clearspot)

1 tin of light coconut milk (BPA free: Biona or Waitrose Duchy Organic)

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp of coconut oil

200ml veggie stock and filtered water

1 shallot finely chopped (You can use a white onion but I prefer the sweeter taste of shallots)

3 garlic cloves crushed

1 tsp mustard seeds

1.5 tsp ground turmeric

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground ginger

1 small red chilli chopped (you may want to add more if you like more of a kick)

1 large aubergine chopped into small chunks

2 red peppers chopped into small chunks

A bunch of kale

White sesame seeds for garnish

Himalayan salt and pepper to season

Lime juice to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan. Spread out the aubergine and peppers in a roasting tin and drizzle with 3 tbsp of coconut oil. Roast for 15-20 mins, tossing them halfway through cooking, or until they are soft. The roasted veggies add a sweet delicious flavour to the curry.

2. In a large saucepan lightly fry the mustard seeds in some coconut oil. Wait for them to pop, then add the garlic and onion and gently fry them until soft and translucent.

3. Add the turmeric, ground ginger, ground coriander, garam masala and chopped chilli and fry for a few more minutes. Stir for 1 min, then add the chopped tomatoes. Cook over a medium-low heat gradually stirring

4. Add the tofu and stir fry for around 5 minutes until golden

5. Add the coconut milk, stock, aubergine and peppers. Put the lid on the saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.

6. The lentils don’t take that long to cook so I put them in around 10 minutes later.

7. Add lime juice to taste and add extra seasoning if necessary

8. Stir in the kale and leave it to wilt. This can be done towards the end approximately 5 minutes before the curry has finished cooking.

I usually use spinach but the kale is a nice alternative as I had lots to use up.

You can add rice, lime, yoghurt and coriander as an accompaniment and garnish.

Phytonutrients are chemical compounds (often referred to as phytochemicals) that are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, teas and spices. Phyto - meaning plant. Their main role is antioxidants that help to prevent damage to cells in the body and have bioactive functions for promoting health. Many have positive effects on our hormones, immune system, heart health and even neurological health.

Phytonutrients also play a role contributing to a plant's colour, flavour and odour. Here are some examples of phytonutrient rich foods:

Red, orange and yellow vegetables and fruit: tomatoes, carrots, peppers, sweet potato, squash, mango, peaches, citrus fruits, melons

Dark green vegetables: spinach, kale, chard, pak choi, collard greens

Alliums: garlic, onions, leeks, shallots

Wholegrains: brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley

Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, beans, soybeans and soy products

Nuts and seeds: sesame seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds

Tea and coffee (green tea, matcha, black tea and other herbal teas)