Vegetable Dhansak
Dhansak is a sweet and spicy curry, which is thickened with red lentils. It is filling, wholesome and super delicious. This vegetable dhansak is no exception.
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This delicious vegan version of the classic Dhansak curry is brought to life with a rich array of spices.
It may seem like a long ingredients list, but if you’re missing any spices you can experiment with the combination to create a slightly different take on the classic recipe.
You may also need more or less stock depending on how much your lentils soak it up, so try adding 750ml at first, and then add more as and when needed.
What is garam masala?
Garam masala is an aromatic blend of Indian spices made up of a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, peppercorns, bay leaves and cardamom.
As it contains so many different spices, it’s a useful way to add flavour quickly to soups, stews, curries and even vegan mayo.
What are red lentils?
Lentils come in many shapes and sizes and vary in colour from gold to orange and red. Red lentils are the sweetest and nuttiest of the lentil family.
They make a great replacement for meat in vegan recipes, particularly curry recipes, and are the main ingredient in Indian dals. They also thicken up soups really well.
They’re not only great to cook with, but also are a reliable source of protein, iron, fibre and are dense in B vitamins.
Total Time: 50 mins
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Calories: 465
Servings: 4
Rating:
Total Time: 50 mins
Calories: 465
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 4)
- For the sauce
- 0.25 0.25 tbsp neutral oil
- 0.5 0.5 tsp mustard seeds
- 0.25 0.25 tsp cumin seeds
- 0.25 0.25 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
- 0.125 0.125 tsp chilli flakes
- 0.5 0.5 onions, peeled, diced
- 0.75 0.75 cloves garlic, pureed
- 0.25 0.25 tbsp ginger, grated
- 0.75 0.75 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 0.25 0.25 tsp ground cardamom
- 0.25 0.25 tsp cinnamon
- 0.25 0.25 tsp ground fenugreek
- 0.25 0.25 tsp turmeric powder
- 0.5 0.5 tsp garam masala
- 75 75 g red lentils
- 0.5 0.5 tbsp mango chutney
- 0.25 0.25 litre vegetable stock
- 0.25 0.25 tbsp mint sauce
- For the vegetables
- 0.25 0.25 tsbp oil
- 0.75 0.75 carrots, peeled, finely diced
- 25 25 g button mushrooms, halved
- 25 25 g green beans or mangetout, chopped
- 25 25 g peas, defrosted if frozen
Method
- For the sauce, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and chilli flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the mustard seeds start to crackle.
- Add the onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions soften. Then add the cardamom, cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric and garam masala, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add the lentils, mango chutney and vegetable stock, and cook for 15 minutes until the lentils are cooked through and the mixture has thickened.
- Add in the mint sauce and use a stick blender to roughly blend the mixture, but don’t fully purée it as you want some texture.
- For the vegetable mix, add the oil to a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the carrots and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Then add the mushrooms, green beans and peas, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked through. Add these to the sauce and heat it through. Season to taste, before serving.
Each 379g serving provides:
12g Fat, 1.4g Saturates, 74g Carbohydrates, 14g Sugars, 15g Fibre, 25g Protein, 2.6g Salt
In need of a meal that’s friendly on the wallet? Check out our round-up of the best cheap vegan recipes
