Red Lentil and Summer Vegetable Thai Curry

Know what I just did? I went to the gym. Actually, I walked to the gym, Body Pumped for an hour, then walked back, uphill both ways, I swear it.

And then, when I got back, I needed to cool off. So I opened the refrigerator door and stood there.

It took about two seconds for me to see the Tupperware container of Red Lentil and Summer Vegetable Thai Curry. I snatched it off the shelf as if it were going to disappear before my eyes, slammed the refrigerator door shut, and retrieved a fork. Then I proceed to eat cold curry straight out of the container, leaning against the counter, feeling no shame, first picking out all the vegetables, then slurping up all the noodles, practically licking the sauce residue off the plastic.

I would like to say right now that I pre-portioned my curry into four Tupperware containers. So it’s not like I ate the entire dish. Although, if they hadn’t been pre-portioned, I very well may have. Just sayin’.

I <3 curry. So much. I’m thinking of all the things I should make:

• Red Curry Sandwiches
• Red Curry Waffles
• Red Curry Pizza
• Red Curry Breakfast Scramble

(If you steal my ideas, I will slash your tires.)

(Just kidding. I’m a lady.)

I took this recipe and basically made it exactly the same, except in U.S. measurements and then rounded up with all the vegetables. Because you can never overdo vegetables. This is the time of year for healthy eating and I’m a big fan of ratio-ifying all your recipes — 2:1 — vegetables:everything else.

Okay. So. Because I’m feeling listy, here are the things I love about this dish:

1. Soba noodles are hearty and wheaty tasting without being grainy and dry.
2. The noodles hold the sauce, so every time you get noodles, you get red coconut curryyyy.
3. And the sauce is the best part. Da bomb.
4. The peas pop in your mouth.
5. The red and yellow peppers are crunchy.
6. I added a dollop of sour cream, because we all know it’s my favorite condiment.
7. You don’t really taste the lentils, but they add protein – yay!!
8. It’s healthy. It’s sugar-free. It’s loaded with veggies.

I feel like I could come up with more reasons, but this glass of wine is now empty:

I’m gonna try really, really hard to stay outta the fridge for the rest of the night… I have TWO more portions Summer Vegetable Curry waiting…

5 from 1 vote

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Red Lentil and Vegetable Red Thai Curry

Adapted from Summer Vegetable Curry at BBC Good Food

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Author Danielle Cushing

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 can low sodium chicken broth 10.5 fl. oz.
• 2 onions chopped
• 1 eggplant diced
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 can low fat coconut milk 14 fl. oz.
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 6 ounces soba noodles
• sour cream optional, for garnishing
• Thai basil or regular basil, chopped, for garnishing

Instructions

1. Heat the curry paste in a large non-stick saucepan with a splash of the chicken broth. Add the onions and cook about 3 minutes until they start to soften. Add the eggplant and cook about 3 more minutes until the eggplant is soft. Add a little more broth if the vegetables are starting to stick.
2. Add the remaining chicken broth, lentils, and coconut milk and simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the soba noodles according to package directions.
4. When the lentils are tender, add the peppers and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in the peas and spinach and cook until spinach has just wilted.
5. Serve the curry over soba noodles. Add a dollop of sour cream if desired and garnish with Thai basil.