Chickpea, Spinach & Red Lentil Curry
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: anything from 50 minutes with a pressure cooker to 8 if you're using a slow cooker
- 1.5 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained (change water a few times) or 3x400g/14oz tins of chickpeas
- 4 tablespoons curry powder (I use Baba's meat curry powder)
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 tablespoons oil for frying
- 3 onions, peeled and diced
- 2/3 cup red lentils
- 4 cups stock
- 150g/5ozs. frozen spinach
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Note: you can do this in a pressure cooker, slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Step 1 - Dry fry the spices in the pressure cooker set on saute setting for 30-45 seconds or until fragrant. Add the oil and fry the onions until fragrant and caramelised coating the onions with the spices. If doing in a slow cooker, do this step in a saucepan. If you're using a pot, go ahead and use that pot ;)
Step 2 - Add the chickpeas and 2 cups of the stock. With the pressure cooker, set it on medium pressure and cook for 20 minutes. If using a slow cooker cook for 4 hours. If using a stovetop cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Step 3 - Add the red lentils, frozen spinach and the remaining stock and cook again for the same amount of time as step 2. Generously season with salt and pepper and add sugar. Serve as is or with rice or bread.