Vegan Cheesy Black Lentil Curry Bake

Vegan Cheesy Black Lentil Curry Bake

 

By Namit Kathoria

 

Soaking time: overnight

Preparation time: 25 min

Cooking time: 45-50 min

 

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

2 aubergines sliced

2 zucchini sliced

2 medium potatoes sliced

2 white onions sliced

4 garlic cloves grated

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 teaspoons cumin powder

1 teaspoon hot paprika

¾ teaspoon Himalayan rock salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup dry black lentils / 1 jar (400g) lentils rinsed and drained

350g passata

400g coconut milk

2-3 tablespoons olive oil (+ some more for base of oven dish and for topping the bake)

 

Garnish with fresh basil and one batch of the Creamy Vegan Cheese

 

Preparation:

1. If you use dry lentils, soak the lentils overnight, then drain and rinse them the following morning.
2. Slice and steam the aubergine, the potatoes and the zucchini. (2 min in an instant pot/15 min using a normal steaming method).
3. Put some olive oil into a pan, bring it to a medium to high heat and put in one piece of the onion. Once it starts to sizzle, add in the rest of the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until it becomes translucent. If you use an instant pot use the sauté function to do this.
4. Add a little bit more oil and put in the garlic, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, the cinnamon stick and the bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 30 more seconds.
5. Now add in the spices, the salt and the pepper and deglaze with some water if you need to. Cook and stir for another 30 seconds.
6. At this stage switch off the sauté function if you are using an instant pot. Add in the lentils, the coconut milk and the passata, stir through. If you use an instant pot seal the lid, cook for about 10 minutes and wait for the natural release to happen. If you use a normal pan cook for about 25 minutes if using dry lentils and with precooked lentils cook for about 10 minutes. Whilst the lentil mixture is cooking preheat the oven to 180°C. Also blend the creamy vegan cheese.
7. Taste the lentil mixture and see if you need to add in any more spices, salt or pepper.
8. Switch off the heat and take one large or two medium size baking dishes. Brush the bottom with some olive oil. Then put a layer of the lentil mix, on top of that a layer of the sliced and steamed aubergine, then the lentil mix again, then a layer of the sliced zucchini, then the lentil mix again, now a layer of sliced cooked potato, then the lentil mix again. On top of that put a layer of the creamy vegan cheese and some more olive oil.
9. Bake for about 20 minutes, make sure nothing burns.
10. Switch off the oven, take out and garnish with some fresh basil and serve with a nice large salad.

 

Where does your protein come from?

It comes from the almonds and cashew nuts in the creamy vegan cheese, the lentils, the nutritional yeast (30-50%) and the potatoes. Potatoes do not have a high amount of protein but they do contain all the essential amino acids that the body needs.

 

To get more inspiration for healthy plant-based recipes please see our new nutrition and recipe book “Life” which is due to come out in 2022.