LENTIL CURRY

Recipe : Fatima Sydow
Posted and photo: Amanda Conradie
Note from Amanda:
My version of Fatima’s Lentil Curry. I only added some potatoes, less lentils and then some chili flakes as I felt it didn’t have enough bite. What a wonderful dish.

• 1 pack of brown lentils cooked till soft and tender . ( 35 minutes)
• 10-15 pieces of beef or lamb .
• 3-4 medium onions chopped finely
• 6-8 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped finely
• 3 cardamom pods
• 3 stick cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of turmeri
• 3 tablespoons of roasted masala
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• In a heated large pot add your oil , meat, onions , garlic , cinnamon, salt and cardamom.
• Braise till meat and onions are golden brown, Now add 1 cup of boiling water and turn heat down to medium and allow water to cook away .. Stirring occasionally.
• Repeat this process of add hot water and cooking slowly until your meat is almost tender, Beef will take about an hour and lamb about 45 minutes.
• Now add your masala , turmeric and sugar . Braise meat with a little warm water ( 2 tablespoons ) and stir cooking away the little water and allowing spices too cook and permeate into meat.
• Repeat this process about 5 times always stirring. Now add your cooked lentils and stir, cook on high heat for about 10 minutes, remembering to stir.
• Now add 1 cup of hot water and cook on a low to medium heat for half an hour – stirring occasionally otherwise lentils will stick to bottom of the pot .
• Now switch off heat and allow lentil curry to sit for 15-20 minutes before serving with rice and onion salad .
• Delicious !!! This is one of my all time favorite meals and very healthy for you. Delicious