Whether you like to eat vegan or are just looking for a quick and tasty bite for the family, this Vegan Massaman curry with red lentils is not going to disappoint. On the table in no time and full of nutritious vegetables (Sas had leftover courgette and aubergine, but you can put anything in it). She demonstrates!
Vegan Massaman curry, a child-friendly curry
Curry meals and children don't usually go well together. Unless you have to be lucky enough to have a good eater, but in our house that is often a bit of a problem. The flavour is often too pronounced or spicy for kids. Too bad, because then you find yourself cooking two meals again. Because a good vegan curry once in a while does make us happy. This vegan Massaman curry is different because it has a mild flavour - with a hint of cinnamon even - and is therefore kid-friendly!
The base of this child-friendly curry is Massaman curry paste. Originally from Thailand, Massaman curry has its roots in Persian cuisine and is known for its rich, spicy flavour. The combination of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg gives the curry its distinctive, warming flavour. The recipe itself is a piece of cake. With red lentils as a protein-rich base, you create a filling meal without the hassle. The Massaman curry paste adds the right amount of spiciness, while coconut milk provides a creamy texture. Give children a task when preparing, such as cutting vegetables or stirring in the pot, to get them actively involved in the cooking process.
Vegan Massaman curry, thanks to the lentils, potatoes and soft curry paste, a kidproof meal.
When do you put which vegetables in your curry?
Do your kids think courgette and aubergine are just ‘so-so’. You can also choose broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, tomato, spinach, cucumber or sweet pepper if they like them better. A tip here is: add hard vegetables like carrots to your curry dish early (or cook them al dente beforehand). Softer vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber and aubergine should be added only in the last few minutes.
Kidsproof recipe: vegan Massaman curry with red lentils
Kitchenware
- 1 large frying pan
- 1 cutting board with knife
- 1 saucepan(prepare for rice if necessary)
Ingredients
- 500 gr dried red lentils
- 2 tin coconut milk (2×400 ml)
- 1 onion
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- 3 cm ginger
- 2-3 el massaman curry, e.g. from Koh Thai
- 750 ml hot water
- 2 stock cubes
- 3-4 peeled potatoes in pieces (make small pieces, otherwise the potato will remain too hard)
- 1 courgette
- 1 aubergine
- 4 lime leaves (we have them in the freezer as standard)
- (olive) oil for frying
- rice or flatbread as a side dish
- optional as topping: (vegetable) yoghurt, coriander, mint, pepper and/or sambal
Instructions
- Wash, peel/peel and chop all vegetables and spices.
- Briefly fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a large pan. Briefly fry the onion, garlic and ginger in a large pan.
- Pour in the coconut milk.
- Add the dried lentils & massaman curry paste.
- Add the hot water with bouillon cubes.
- Add potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes until it is a soft mash. Stir regularly, as lentils tend to stick. If you use more hard vegetables (like carrots), add these right away too. I often pre-cook carrots for 20 minutes before adding them.
- Only add the soft vegetables such as aubergine and courgette at the last minute and simmer for up to 10 minutes.
- Serve with rice, flatbread and don't forget the yummy toppings! Enjoy!
Budget recipe
This vegan curry is also a nice budget recipe. You pay around 3 euros for a kilo of (organic) lentils. You can make several tasty meals out of this. Because you can put almost any vegetable in this dish, it fits perfectly with any vegetable box you can score again via Too Good To Go (about €2.99 per box). Count your winnings! Want to learn more about Too Good To Go and how to score the best boxes here? Then check out this article!
More food tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Also, go ahead with a This creamy pumpkin curry quiche.
- Also in the context of easy and quick: fennel dish.
- Sometimes you just feel like comfort food: vegan fries hair salon with jackfruit.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
