Easy! Mild Lentil Curry (With 3 Spices & Milk)

Easy! Mild Red Lentil Curry Made With 3 Spices & Fresh Milk!
This is a beginner-friendly simple easy-to-make mild red lentil curry recipe that you can make with only 3 powdered spices (Coriander, Cumin, and Turmeric) and fresh milk. It is also a kid-friendly mild curry recipe that will please little ones and parents alike.

Lentil is an excellent source of protein and is one of the most nutritional and economical foods in the whole world. A great way to increase your protein intake. So why not give this delicious curry a try?

Easy Lentil Curry without Curry Powder

Using curry powder is convenient but you do not always need to use a curry powder made with multiple spices, hot chilies, and oil to make a curry. This lentil curry is made with only 3 ground spices and is finished with a generous amount of fresh milk, so it is a very mild curry with a milky flavor.

About The Recipe

I wanted to create a mild lentil curry recipe that anyone can make easily with easy-to-find ingredients. If you love mild curries, this lentil curry recipe is for you. I created this lentil curry recipe with the influence of Sri Lankan red lentil curry and the experience of cooking so many lentil curries so far in my life.

For making Sri Lankan traditional lentil curries, you will need more ground and whole spices, exotic herbs, and coconut milk. However, for this red lentil curry, I used only 3 powdered spices: coriander, cumin, and turmeric. I like to add fresh green chili to add some heat and flavor but it is totally optional. Adding fresh milk makes this curry very milky but you can also use coconut milk if you like it that way. Coconut milk will also make it a vegan-friendly curry.

Sri Lankan Red Lentil Curry

If you love to make Sri Lankan-style lentil curry from scratch here is an authentic recipe for you. Red lentil curry (Parippu Kirata) is one of the most commonly consumed staple curries in Sri Lanka with all forms of rice and bread, almost every day. How about serving Sri Lankan Red Lentil Curry with Sri Lankan Coconut Roti?

EASY! Sri Lankan Red Lentil Curry (Parippu Kirata) Authentic
BEST Sri Lankan Coconut Roti (Pol Roti)

What To Serve With Lentil Curry?

The most common side dish for curry is plain white rice but this lentil curry also goes well with bread. Serve it with a slice of bread or salad. You can also serve this curry over brown rice, quinoa, or with other types of bread like appa, indiappa, roti, or naan.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

• Red Lentils-Use good quality the freshest lentils possible. Older lentils require a much longer time to cook and sometimes don’t soften at all.
• Powdered Spices-Use homemade or store-bought powdered coriander, cumin, and turmeric.
• Onion or Shallots-You can use either onion or shallots.
• Garlic-I prefer using thinly sliced garlic for mild flavor instead of finely chopped garlic or garlic paste as they add a strong flavor.
• Ginger-Use fresh finely chopped ginger.
• Fresh Green Chilies-Fresh green chilies add a milder heat and enhance the flavor of the curries beyond just pure heat. You can skip them altogether if you don’t like them or if you do not have them.
• Water-Use water to cook the lentil until soft.
• Dairy Milk– I used dairy milk but you can also use coconut or heavy cream to add richness and a creamy texture.
• Fresh Basil Leaves-Using basil leave is optional. You can also use cilantro instead of basil.

The 3 Spices You’ll Need

Ground Coriander: Coriander is an essential spice for making curries to make curry aromatic, and flavourful. It also pairs well with ground cumin, and turmeric to bring out the flavors.

Ground Cumin: Cumin has a slightly sweet, warming flavor with a nutty element and is widely used along with coriander powder for making curries.

Ground Turmeric: Turmeric is an essential spice in making curries. It has many health benefits as well as it adds a nice yellowish color.

Using Fresh Basil Leaves

I just experiment with adding some fresh basil leaves to this lentil curry and I love the aroma and taste that basil adds to it. And fresh basil leaves also make this lentil dish attractive. If you use basil leaves, make sure to add them once the curry is cooked. You can also use some coriander leaves (aka cilantro) instead of basil leaves.

USEFUL INFO

COOKING CURRY IN A CLAY POT

Curry cooked in clay pots tastes so good. So, I usually cook all my curries in clay pots and highly recommend using clay pots for cooking curries.

The bubbles during cooking (I googled it)

The foam on top of a pan of lentils is created by ‘saponins’ within the lentils, which form a frothy white mass of bubbles in the water. You can skim it off the top of your lentils if you like, but it’s totally fine to leave it too as it’s safe to consume.

ADJUST THE CONSISTENCY OF CURRY GRAVY

The consistency of curry gravy is completely your choice. If you want your curry to have a thicker gravy, simmer your curry until all the water evaporated, and then add the milk. And you can add some more milk or water to make a thinner gravy.

Let Your Curry Rest After Cooking It

Curries taste better after resting time. Sauces thicken up and become creamier too. After cooking, just leave the curry in the clay pot for about 30 minutes or rest it in the fridge for longer before serving it.

Useful Tips

• Buy the freshest lentils possible.
• Red lentils do not require soaking like other lentils.
• Use a large enough pot to make the curry as the lentils will double or triple in size.
• To cook lentils, bring to a boil, cover lightly, reduce heat, and simmer until they are tender.
• For good-quality red lentils, the cooking time is only about 10 to 15 minutes. But some lentils require much longer to cook. Adjust the cooking time as needed and add more water if needed.
• Season with salt after cooking, if salt is added while cooking, the lentils will become tough.
• Replace dairy milk with coconut milk to make it vegetarian.

Mild Lentil Curry (with 3 Spices & Milk)
Step-by-Step Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Servings 2 to 4

Ingredients

100 g red lentils
1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
1 fresh green chili, sliced
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
500 ml water, adjust as needed
200 ml whole milk, adjust as needed
Salt to taste
A few fresh Basil leaves, optional

Instruction

Prepare the ingredients; red lentil, onion, garlic, ginger, fresh green chili, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, water, whole milk, and salt

I used some fresh basil leaves. You can also use coriander leaves or experiment with a herb of your choice.

Buy the freshest lentils possible. Older lentils require a much longer time to cook and sometimes don’t soften at all.

Wash the lentil by changing the water a few times.

In a deep pot, add washed lentils, fresh ingredients, and spices. Mix well.

Add water and mix well.

Bring to a rapid simmer.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover lightly and simmer until the lentils are tender for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.

Make sure to stir at regular intervals.

Check if the lentil is fully cooked. Each type has a different cook time, adjust the time as needed and add more water as needed.

After the lentils are fully cooked, add the milk and salt to taste. Cook on low flame for about 5 mins, stirring at regular intervals. DO NOT boil after adding the milk.

Turn off the heat. Add fresh basil leaves and stir a few times.

Mild Red Lentil Curry is ready! Serve with rice or bread & Enjoy!

Mild Lentil Curry (With 3 Spices & Milk)
Printable Recipe

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