Mexican Style Vegetarian Curry

This warming, spiced vegetarian lentil dish packs in goodness and is filling too. It can be topped with quacamole or a poached egg if you want to add more substance and the curry paste which I use as a base is quick to assemble and can be used for loads of other dishes.

Curry Paste

2 dried chilies (Adobo and Guajillo are a nice combo and not too hot) reseeded and rehydrated in 100ml hot water

4 cloves of garlic

1tsp mixed herbs or epazote if you have it

1tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp salt

2tbsp tomato puree

When the chilies are rehydrated simple blend everything including the water. The paste is ready to use and can be stored in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

Mexican Style Vegetarian Curry

200g lentils of choice

3tbsp flat leaf parsley

Rinse the lentils then add to a pot, cover with water, add a tsp of salt and bring to the boil, skim off any scum which forms and then simmer gently until cooked. This varies from lentil to lentil but usually about 20 minutes. Reserving about 1/3 of the liquid, drain the lentils.

Tip the curry paste into a pan and heat gently, dont allow it to dry out. Add the lentils and reserved water into the paste, stir well to combine and then cook for about 7 minutes to cook out the paste and enable the lentils to take on all the flavours.

Stir in the chopped parsley and serve as is or with some quacamole or a poached egg.