Yesterday, my friend stopped by my house with a car load of free vegetables that she got from the grocery store. Free, because in another day or two, they would be spoiled, and needed to be used up as fast as possible. I got a huge crate of bananas, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, peaches, and pears, and as I looked at them on my counter today, I said to myself “Penny, use these up, or they will spoil and you’ll feed the dumpster instead of your family!”
But I just looked and looked and looked and couldn’t think of something to make with carrots (the most vital), zucchini, and tomatoes that wasn’t stew or soup… and with the hot weather here lately, I simply wasn’t interested in a soup or stew.
So I asked friends for ideas of what to make, and a few people suggested curry.
Curry it was!
I made up this recipe, adjusting it to taste, and might I say it was simply superb. My kids, who aren’t the hugest lentil fans, really liked it, and so did my husband and I. I served it over rice, and also on it’s own- both ways are equally good.
It was great hot, but as leftovers it was good cold as well.
It is terrific for a variety of diets, is low cost, easy/quick to make, and full of protein. What’s not to like?
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion
9 carrots
2 zucchini
5 tomatoes
2 cups red lentils
4 cups coconut milk (ideally homemade coconut milk)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Scallions or cilantro as garnish (optional)
Instructions:
1. Chop up the onion, and saute in oil until golden.
2. Chop carrots into thin slices, add to the onions, and saute until starting to soften.
3. Chop up zucchini into semi circles, and dice tomatoes. Add to the carrots and onions.
4. Add lentils, coconut milk, and water. Cover, and cook until the lentils are mostly soft.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well, and continue cooking until the lentils are fully soft.
6. Serve over rice, over quinoa, or plain. Garnish with chopped cilantro or scallions if desired.
If you had carrots, zucchinis, and tomatoes to use up, what would be your go-to recipe? Are you a fan of curries? Does this look like a recipe you’d try?
