Curried Lentils with Rice
and okra / curry aioli
This vegetarian meal, made of humble ingredients and Indian-inspired spices, got great reviews when it was first featured in 2017. We've added curry aioli to the original version of this recipe - it's great for dipping okra or drizzling over the lentils.
Smarts: Okra is a love-it or hate-it ingredient in our community of cooks. Roasting brings out a texture that may convert even those who think they don't like it, but feel free to use green beans or broccoli in its place.
Ingredients
- Mayonnaise - 1/4 cup
- Curry powder - 1/2 tsp
- Okra - 1 lb, trimmed and halved (sub green beans or broccoli florets)
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Onions, medium - 1, chopped
- Carrots - 8 oz, chopped
- Ginger, fresh (opt) - 1 tsp, chopped
- Garlic - 3 cloves, chopped
- Limes - 1, wedges
- Butter - 2 Tbsp
- Tomato paste - 3 Tbsp
- Garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp
- Cumin - 1 1/2 tsp
- Curry powder - 1 1/2 tsp
- Lentils, pre-cooked - 2 1/2 cups (look for vacuum-packed or canned)
- Stock, any type - 2 cups
- Yogurt, plain or Greek (opt) - for serving
- Water - 3 1/2 cups
- Rice, basmati - 2 cups
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Cook rice - (This makes enough for 2 nights.) Fill a saucepan with water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then add rice. Bring to a simmer, cover, turn heat down to low and cook until rice has absorbed all the liquid, 15 to 18 minutes. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Make curry aioli - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating before continuing with prep.) Whisk together mayonnaise and curry powder (portion for aioli). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Onions / Carrots - Prep as directed and combine. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Ginger / Garlic / Limes - Prep as directed. Combine ginger and garlic. Store lime wedges separately. (Can be done up to 2 days ahead)
- Okra - Slice stems off okra and halve lengthwise.
Unlock this meal along with hundreds of smart meal plans and never stress about "What's for dinner?" again
Try for freeLearn More
Make
- Heat oven to 450F / 232C.
- Toss okra with oil and spread onto a sheet pan. Season with some salt. Roast for 20 minutes, shaking once midway through.
- While okra roasts, heat a skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add butter and then onions and carrots to melted butter. Saute until onions are soft, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add ginger, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, and curry powder (portion for lentils). Saute until fragrant, ~1 minute. Stir in lentils and stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, until carrots are tender and lentils are creamy (add some more stock or water if the lentils start to look dry). Season with some salt.
- If rice was made ahead, reheat in the microwave (reserve half for Wednesday).
- Serve lentils over rice with a spoonful of yogurt on top. Enjoy okra and aioli on the side. Squeeze lime wedges over the entire dish.
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
31 reviews
The green beans (which I swapped for the okra) and curry aioli were my favorite. I could eat a billion of them. The lentils were fine but not thrilling. I added some spices to pep it up.
0 HelpfulMy family was just not a fan. Not sure how to say this exactly but it just tasted like spices. Cumin in particular.
0 Helpful