My son Ryan loves to cook. He usually doesn’t like to be in front of the camera however. For some reason he is changing and actually asked if he could do a video with his recipe. He is also responsible for the editing and creation of the footage.
Part of my philosophy around cooking is to get your children involved.
Never underestimate what they are capable of if given direction and patience.
When they have a hand in what is served, they are more likely to try new things and have a greater appreciation of what is served to them as they know the effort that is involved. That is why I involve my own children as much as possible in the kitchen at home. They also play a part in educating others about how and what to feed their families in order to create a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle.
Ryan's Delicious Lentil and Vegetable Curry
This curry is simple to make, as demonstrated by Ryan on the video. It has wonderful flavours and a great texture. The eggplant in particular is silky smooth as it is cooked before being added to the curry. Serve with Basmati rice and papadums for a fantastic meal. Chopped fresh coriander is also a great addition but it was out of season when we made this video.
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant, sliced - We also peel it as we don't like the skin
- Oil to brush eggplant with - You can use any oil with a high smoke point. We use macadamia.
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 1 loaded tablespoon of grated ginger
- 1 hot or 2 medium chillis, finely chopped - Chilli in this recipe is to taste. Leave seeds in for a spicier curry.
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 700g diced tomatoes - We leave the skins on but you can remove them by submerging them in boiling water for a few minutes.
- 1 diced capsicum - Any colour
- 1 cup red lentils, soaked for at least 6 hours
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 500g peeled diced sweet potato
- 1 tsp sea salt - or to taste. We use Celtic Sea Salt for it's health benefits
- Fresh lime juice - to add to the curry after serving.
Instructions
- Preheat the grill in your oven and line a baking tray with paper. Brush the paper with oil and lay the eggplant slices on the tray.
- Brush the tops of the slices with more oil and place in the oven until the eggplant is browned and soft.
- Remove and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan. Be generous as this oil will carry the flavours through the curry and stop the spices and ginger, garlic and chilli from sticking. Extra virgin coconut oil is great to cook with due to its high smoking point and health benefits.
- Add whole spices and leave until fragrant.
- Add ginger, garlic, chilli and garam masala and stir constantly for about 20 seconds.
- Add remaining ingredients except for salt and lime juice.
- Mix well and cover. Leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes. Make sure you stir it a few times to make sure the lentils don't stick to the pan.
- Once the lentils and sweet potato are soft, add salt. Mix well and taste. Adjust to your palate if needed.
- Serve over rice and add a squeeze of lime juice.
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