Colorful, tasty and really really healthy
This dish relies on curried lentils to hold the dish together. The lentils are stir-fried with a variety of veggies, deposited on a bed of brown basmati rice, then topped with mango, avocado and tomato.
Lots of taste. Lots of color. Lots of vitamins and nutraceuticals. And your diners will barely remember that they had many of these same ingredients last night, but in a different order.
2 C yellow lentils, rinsed thoroughly in cold water and then cooked al dente
4 C cooked brown basmati rice
2 T canola or olive oil
1 sweet onion, peeled and diced
2 medium sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and diced
2 small yukon gold potatoes, diced
3 medium beets, peeled and diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 ears sweet corn, husked and cut from the cob
3 large stalks kale, washed, center rib removed and diced
1/2 ripe mango, diced
2 T ginger, grated fresh
1 can coconut milk
Curry spices and cinnamon
1 large tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
You can cook the lentils while prepping all the fruits and veggies. I also like to cook a batch of brown basmati rice ahead, keeping it in the fridge in a Ziploc bag, which allows me to reheat the rice in the microwave.
Since the white and colored potatoes and beets take a long time to cook, I begin by sauteing them first. Next I add the onions, then the zucchini, then the corn and kale. I grate the fresh ginger right into the mix. When the veggies are just about tender, I add the cooked/drained lentils and the can of coconut milk.
For curry spices, I love the mix that Nice Spice makes. (They used to be at the Lansing City Market, but I think you can still call them at 517-648-9155 to place an order.) I use their Jamaican Curry Meat Seasoning that features their secret curry blend, as well as ginger, cloves, salt and thyme. I also add a little cinnamon (and occasionally sneak in a taste of brown sugar).
I heat up the brown basmati rice in a Ziploc bag in the microwave, then put a dollup onto a dish or bowl. The curry goes on top of the rice, then the diced tomato, mango and avocado go on top of that. Taste to see if it needs a little salt and pepper. Serve hot or warm. Serves four (or two if you are as hungry as we were).
