Spinach and Lentil Curry

While I am once again getting regular paychecks, I'm still working through items in the pantry to prepare for Passover.  Less to pack up.  Included in this eat-down are beans, rice, and pulses.  There's zero chance of actually finishing all of it, but the box won't weigh as much.  There's going to be a major restock trip once Passover is done, but that haul will hold me for months.

This marks the first time I was able to do a curry by just winging it and not writing the recipe beforehand.  I've finally gotten the process down to where it feels natural.  It's pretty easy when you're not constantly looking at a recipe, but I did write it down afterwards so I wouldn't forget.  The "hard" part of any curry is gathering the ingredients.  Once you have the spice mix memorized, it comes together quickly.

The vegetable stock was made with the whey from the paneer.  I felt like the flavors didn't transfer to the liquid as well as they do with water.  It could have to do with the fat and protein content of the whey or other factors I don't know about because I didn't actually do much research before trying it.  Well, it was worth a try and at least I didn't just pour the whey down the drain.

1 Tb olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
*1 C finely diced onion
*2 Tb tomato paste
*1 tsp grated ginger
*1 tsp minced garlic
2 C unsalted vegetable stock
*3/4 C brown lentils, sorted
*1 can light coconut milk
2 C frozen or 4 C fresh spinach
*2 tsp lemon juice
rice and fried paneer for serving

1.  In a wide saucepan or skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium.  Add spices and heat until fragrant and pasty, about 2 minutes.  Add onion and cook until it softens, about 5 minutes.  Add tomato paste, garlic, and ginger and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.

2.  Stir in vegetable stock and lentils until mixture combines.  Bring to a low boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.  About halfway through, start your rice.

3.  Once lentils are splitting, uncover and add coconut milk and spinach.  Cook until curry returns to a low boil.  Taste and add more salt if needed.  Finish with a splash of lemon juice and serve hot over rice.

Difficulty rating  π