Vegetarian Lentil Curry

Like other legumes, lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fibre, making them a good meat replacement. Lentils have a mild, often earthy flavour with the added advantage of cooking quickly and are best cooked with quite strong spices. The best and most delicate of lentils are the French or puy lentils, which are greyish green in colour with a peppery flavour. They tend to hold their shape well but take longer to cook than other lentils. The milder brown lentils also hold their shape while cooking but become mushy if overcooked. Lentil curry is usually served with Indian breads and rice.

Ingredients:
160ml finely diced onion
160ml finely diced carrot
160ml finely diced celery
15ml olive oil
15ml chopped garlic
15ml curry powder
5ml ground cumin
5ml dried thyme
2ml freshly ground black pepper
2ml cayenne pepper
1 cup sorted and rinsed dried puy lentils
750ml water
1 litre trimmed and shredded chard stems
10ml rich soy sauce
15ml olive oil

Method:
In a large saucepan oer medium heat, fry the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, curry powder, cumin, thyme, black pepper and cayenne pepper and fry for another minute.

Add the lentils and water, stir well to combine and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chard stems and the soy sauce, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat. Check seasoning and serve.