I found this recipe on
a cute blog called 'Pinch of Yum.' This healthy recipe was sooo good. I was a little nervous to try it because I do not like cooked carrots, but it turned out amazing. I did roast a sweet potato as well in case I did not like the carrots and it was an excellent addition. I think you could add butternut squash as well if you want to not add the calories and carbs of a potato. I did not have garam masala so I just used curry powder. Also, I made my own chili powder because I did not have any on hand.
This was a huge hit. My boyfriend and friend came over and both were excited to take some home for lunch the next day.
INGREDIENTS
For the Cilantro Cashew Sauce:
- ½ cup fresh cilantro
- ¾ cup cashews (I used raw but you can use salted)
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- juice of 2 limes
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- 1-2 teaspoons honey
For the Roasted Carrots:
- 8-10 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder ( see recipe below)
- salt to taste
For the Rice and Lentil Curry:
- 1 cup basmati rice (or long grain) (update: I made this using 1 cup cauliflower rice last night (put in raw) and it was fantastic, could not tell the difference)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin seed (or ground cumin)
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
- 14 ounces tomato puree
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- pinch of salt
- avocado and cilantro for topping
Chili Powder:
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
INSTRUCTIONS
- For the sauce, puree all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Taste and adjust.
- For the carrots, toss all ingredients together. Roast at 450 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cook the rice according to package directions. I used a rice cooker.
- For the curry, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the curry paste and spices; saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the lentils, tomato sauce, and broth. Simmer until lots of the liquid has evaporated - continue adding ½ cup of liquid as needed (the lentils will just keep soaking it up). Repeat this process for about 45 minutes until the lentils are soft (I needed to add 2 more cups of broth and 1/2 cup of water).
- Add the rice to the lentil mixture; stir to combine, adding extra broth or water as necessary.
- Serve in bowls topped with the roasted carrots, cashews, cilantro, and cilantro cashew dressing. (all optional)
