Coconut & Tomato Lentil Curry
Clock Image
Total: 30 mins
Dig in to this delectable dal made with our rich, sweet cherry tomato passata, creamy coconut milk, tender red lentils and seasonal cavolo nero – all topped off with a fiery mix of fried spices for a blast of flavour.
This recipe is a:
See this week's box.
Recipe Box Recipe Main Image
839 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • A thumb of ginger
  • 2 tbsp tikka masala spice mix
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 150g red lentils
  • 330ml cherry tomato passata
  • 200ml coconut milk
  • 150g white basmati rice
  • 100g cavolo nero
  • 1 chilli
  • 6 curry leaves
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp black mustard seeds
From your kitchen
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 300ml boiling water
You'll need
  • Large pan with a lid
  • Small pan with a lid
  • Measuring jug
  • Small frying pan
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Peel and finely chop the onion. Warm a medium pan on a medium heat for 1 min, then add ½ tbsp oil and the onion. Season with a pinch of salt and fry for 8 mins, stirring every so often, till the onion starts to soften and pick up a little colour.

  • 2.

    While the onion fries, peel and grate or crush the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger. Stir both into the onion with 2 tbsp tikka masala spice mix and 1 tsp turmeric. Cook and stir for 1 min.

  • 3.

    Tip the dried red lentils into the pan and give it a stir to mix them in with the spiced onion. Pour in the cherry tomato passata and the coconut milk (give the tin a good shake before you add it to try and mix the cream back into the milk – but don’t worry if they’ve separated, it will all come together in the pan). Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and pop on a lid. Simmer for 15 mins, stirring a few times to stop the curry from sticking, till the lentils are tender and the curry has thickened.

  • 4.

    While the curry simmers, rinse the rice under cold water and tip it into a small pan. Add 300ml boiling water and a pinch of salt. Cover, bring to the boil and then turn the heat right down. Very gently cook the rice for 8-10 mins till all the water has been absorbed. Take off the heat and leave the rice in the pan, lid on, for 5 mins to steam and finish cooking.

  • 5.

    While the rice cooks, trim the dry ends off the cavolo nero, then finely slice it. Finely slice the chilli, flicking out the seeds for less heat.

  • 6.

    When the lentil curry has thickened, fork the cavolo nero in and simmer for 4-5 mins, lid off, to just wilt it.

  • 7.

    While the cavolo nero cooks, warm ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add the chilli, 6 curry leaves, and 2 tsp each cumin seeds and black mustard seeds. Sizzle for 30 secs-1 min till the chilli and spices smell aromatic and are crisp. Take off the heat.

  • 8.

    Fluff the rice up with a fork and divide it between a couple of warm bowls. Top with the curry and spoon over the fried spices to finish the dish. Serve straight away.

This recipe is from