From Asia House to your plate

From Asia House to your plate

01 April 2020

Juan de Lara, Cultural Programme Manager

Curried Lentils with Roasted Cauliflower and Cashew Nuts

This is a recipe Asia House in-house chef Paul Bloomfield frequently prepares at Asia House as a side dish for many of our hot buffets. It also works well as a dish on its own.

  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 cinnamon stick, about 5cm
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 400g red lentils, soaked for 20 minutes in cold water, then drained
  • 1 vegetable stock
  • 4 tbsp plain yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp single cream
  • 1 cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • lemon juice
  • pinch salt
  • 50 g cashew nuts, finely chopped
  • coriander leaves, to garnish

 

Place a heavy bottomed saucepan over a medium heat, add the butter and oil. Heat for 1 minute.

 

Add the onion, garlic, ginger and spices and saute for 3 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Then add the spices and saute for 2 more minutes.

 

Add the lentils and vegetable stock, then half the yoghurt and all of the cream. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, adding more liquid, if needed, to keep a loose texture.

 

Meanwhile, toss the florets with the turmeric and the olive oil and roast in a preheated oven at 190 degrees for 15 mins, then remove and toss with the lemon juice.

 

Take the lentils off the heat, season with salt and pepper, pour into a serving dish and top with cauliflower and peanuts. Then drizzle over the remaining yoghurt and garnish with coriander leaves.