Back to recipes, I actually started off wanting to do a hearty vegan soup as we’re coming into soup season (my favourite), but it kind of turned into a daal and then I wanted to make naans to go with it, so call it what you will, but it’s good! The kids also liked it as it’s mild and they love the naans, which are literally Greek yoghurt, self raising flour, and salt.
Red Lentil and Aubergine Curry
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes
Olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced (or frozen)
1 tbsp ginger, grated (or frozen, or paste would also be fine)
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp curry paste
200g dried red lentils, rinsed
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
700ml vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
150ml coconut milk
100g baby spinach (or frozen)
To serve (optional
Juice of 1 lime
fresh coriander
Method
Heat oven to 200C (fan 180C). Toss 1 aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes with about 2 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt, spread on a tray, and roast until golden and soft.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 onion, finely chopped and cook until soft and translucent.
Stir in 3 garlic cloves, minced, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1 tbsp curry paste. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add 200g dried red lentils, rinsed, 400g tinned chopped tomatoes and 700ml vegetable or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are soft and breaking down.
Pour in 150ml coconut milk and simmer gently for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the roasted aubergine chunks along with 100g baby spinach. Taste and season as needed!
Stir in the juice of 1 lime. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh coriander, roughly chopped.
3 Ingredient Naan Bread
Ingredients
220g self-raising flour (use gluten-free, if needed)
245g Greek yoghurt (vegan, full-fat or reduced fat)
3g salt (about ½ tsp)
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine your flour, salt and Greek yogurt. Mix well, until combined. Then, use your hands to form a large ball of dough.
Lightly flour a kitchen surface and sprinkle a little extra flour on top of the ball of dough. Flatten into a circular shape and divide into 8 even portions. Flatten each portion quite thinly into a rectangular shape (doesn’t need to be perfect, any shape will do!)
Heat a non-stick saucepan on medium heat. When hot, place flattened dough and cook for 3 minutes, before flipping and cooking a further 2 minutes. Repeat until all the naan bread is cooked.
Once cooked, lightly brush the tops of each naan bread with melted butter.
Notes. Self-raising flour and yoghurt are both a bit variable by brand/thickness, so if the dough feels too wet or dry, it's fine to adjust with a spoonful more flour or yoghurt rather than sticking rigidly to the gram figures.