Rhubarb & Lentil Curry

Ingredients

350g (12 oz) rhubarb, washed & cut into 2cm (1 inch) chunks
3 onions, finely chopped or sliced
1 stick celery, chopped
2 medium-large peppers (red, yellow, or orange), chopped into chunks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for cooking
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped or crushed
50g fresh ginger (about 2 big thumb-size pieces), peeled & roughly chopped or grated
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon chili powder or a pinch of chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
150g (5oz) brown or puy lentil, whole (rinsed well, picked through, and drained)
700 ml soup stock (chicken, vegetable, whatever flavour you prefer)
250g (9oz) cooked white potato, diced into medium-sized chunks
2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped (for final garnish)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat, then toss in the onions and cook on a low heat until caramelised. Add in the celery and peppers, frying lightly for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
Meanwhile, grind (in a hand or electric grinder) garlic, ginger, and dried spices together to form a thick paste. Add it to the pan and stir well.
Add the stock, rhubarb, and lentils, and simmer gently on low heat for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring every so often, until the lentils are tender — sometimes it can take 10-15 more minutes, depending on the type of lentils used. (If you have not yet cooked your potatoes, do so while the curry is simmering!)
Once the lentils are tender, add in the cooked potatoes and mix. Add in the sugar, sample for taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve with fresh herbs scattered on top.

My Notes

We we given 1.5 kg of rhubarb and I didn’t want to make pie, so I used some of it for this! I left the potatoes out as I didn’t have any in the house. I went light on the chili powder because I’m a wimp about hot spicy food. It also only took 20 minutes for my brown lentils to become tender. Definitely a recipe I’ll make again!