Hello everyone, hope you had a lovely weekend! We had a wonderful mix of sun and rain which brought beautiful sunsets and mild temperatures. Happy spring, by the way! It excites me to no end to know that we are at the very beginning of warmer weather. Planting seeds, here we come! This recipe for Coconut Lentil Cauliflower Curry celebrates one of my favorite spring vegetables, cauliflower!
This recipe has become a classic in our household. For those of you who don’t know, I was a vegetarian (and vegan!) for 15 years before eating the way I do now. I went from a college student eating bagels and taco bell kind of vegetarian to a pretty darn good vegan cook throughout my twenties. Back then there weren’t a lot of vegan options like there are today, so I had to not only learn how to cook, but to actually like vegetables!
I hold this time of my life dear to me, because without it I feel I would never have become the fearless cook that I am today. And while I’m no longer vegetarian, a few of the recipes that I often made during those times of my life have stayed with me and are my kind of comfort food. This Coconut Lentil Cauliflower Curry is one of them!
How to Make Coconut Vegan Lentil Curry
Here is what you will need to get started:
Start by heating the coconut oil over medium high heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Add the cauliflower and onion and saute.
Stir that around for a bit until the onion starts to soften and the cauliflower just starts to brown a little. Then add the ginger, jalapeno (if using), and garlic and cook for a few minutes more.
Next add the curry powder and garam masala and stir to coat the cauliflower with the spices.
Now put the lentils in the pot and add your stock of choice. Perhaps try our chicken stock made with roasted chicken?
Scoop the coconut cream in. This stuff is the bomb, seriously!
Stir it all together and add a bit of dried hot pepper flakes (if using) and some cracked black pepper.
Bring it all to a boil.
Then turn the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for an hour or more.
Check it every so often to make sure that it’s not boiling over. Test to see if the lentils are done after about an hour. Stir in the Bragg’s liquid aminos or soy sauce at this time. If everything is fully cooked you can uncover and continue to simmer on low heat until you’re ready to eat. The amazing smell will permeate your house!
It’s not very photogenic, that much is true. But the flavor is out of this world! I highly recommend that you serve it with a dollop of homemade yogurt, some fresh herbs and possibly a bit of hot sauce (especially if you made it mild for the kiddos). A piece of homemade sourdough naan bread on the side and you’re all set!
I hope you enjoy this Coconut Lentil Cauliflower Curry. This recipe serves approximately 4-6 people and, just like many soups and stews, it gets better as it sits for a day or two. So yummy! The perfect meal for a cold day.
Coconut Lentil Cauliflower Curry
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
- 1 head cauliflower roughly chopped
- 1 onion diced
- 1-2" piece ginger minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno minced
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 ½ cups dried lentils rinsed and drained well
- 1 quart vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1 can coconut cream or 1 can full fat coconut milk
- cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
Instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat.
- Add the cauliflower and onion, toss to coat in the fat, then sautee until the onions start to soften and the cauliflower just starts to brown a little, 6-8 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and jalapeno and sautee an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add the curry powder and garam masala and stir to coat the vegetables in the spices.
- Add the lentils and your stock of choice, plus the coconut cream. Stir together and some cracked black pepper and/or hot pepper flakes (optional).
- Increase heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low, cover, and cook for at least an hour.
- Add the liquid aminos, then taste to see if the lentils are done. Continue to cook, checking every 10 minutes, until they're bite tender.
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: When you're ready to serve, ladle into soup bowls, garnish with yogurt and fresh herbs, serve wit homemade sourdough naan bread, and dive in!
I’ve never bought coconut cream before… I’ve actually never seen it in stores but it looks divine! And I’ve been meaning to try that Bragg’s amino acids stuff. I’ve heard great things! :)
Not sure where you’re at, but Trader Joe’s carries the coconut cream. Definitely try Bragg’s! It’s like soy sauce, but somehow way better.
this sounds so good! I want to try it!
Omigosh, you have me drooling all over myself right now. Guess what I’m making tomorrow?!