Curry lentil peas and rice is simple, but when you add your favourite meat to this dish it is most enjoyable. This peas is fast cooking and hardly requires any soaking. Though, I still prefer soaking lentil peas before it is cooked and also to reduce the amount of lectin in the peas. I used brown lentil peas for this recipe, but you can also use green lentils. Just know that green lentils hold their shape better than the brown lentil peas. As for the red lentils, they are smaller and turn bright yellow during cooking. You might like this colour a lot better if you wish to curry it. This one cook faster and fall apart easiest.
Here is another post for those who don’t seem to know what to do with that lentil peas in the pantry. Lentil peas may not be like split peas but for some strange reason I always buy the two together; perhaps it is tradition. Anyway, today I am posting a recipe on curry lentil peas. I expect that not much people would know that this popular peas could be curried. After all, its look does not lend itself for one to think it can be curried. Leave that for split peas, right?
Well, you will be amazed at to how tasty this dish is. We decided to add a little coconut milk to it and it just hit the spot. We didn’t cook meat that day so all of you who are fasting for Divali could use this dish if you are tired with the usual stuff. If you look at the picture you would see that I put a bit of pommecythere kuchela. I know I did not do that kuchela as yet but don’t worry I will post it soon. Divali is coming up next week Tuesday and although I’m not a Hindu this is a holiday we all celebrate in Trinidad. I guess it’s a Trini thing. So look out for some East Indian dishes next week. Enjoy curry lentil peas and rice.
Rice with curry lentil peas and a side of pommecythere kuchela.
CURRY LENTIL PEAS AND RICE
Ingredients:
1 cup lentil peas
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp coconut milk powder
1 carrot
2 cloves garlic
3 leaves chadon beni
1 small onion
2 pimentos
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups rice
Direction:
Boil rice and set aside
Clean the lentil peas. They sometimes have small pebbles and dirt. The best way to do this is to spread the peas out on a counter and pick out the pebbles. Then place the peas in a bowl of water and discard floaters after you have shish the peas around in the water. Then wash again in a sieve and place in a deep pot to cook. You will need about 3 cups of water to cook the peas.
Pressure cook the peas for about 10 minutes and set aside. Shred the carrot. chop the rest of ingredients.
Sauté the onions, garlic, pimento, and carrots. Add the curry powder (dry) and mix thoroughly.
Add the peas and coconut milk powder. and allow to simmer for about 7 minutes or
until it reaches a semi thick consistency.
Serve with rice.
Well that’s it for another post. See you soon. Bye!
Curry Lentil Peas and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentil peas
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp coconut milk powder
- 1 carrot shredded
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 leaves chadon beni
- 1 small onion
- 2 pimentos
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups rice
Instructions
- Boil rice and set aside.
- Saute the onions, add the curry powder (dry) and mix thoroughly. Add the rest of the ingredients and allow to simmer for about 7 minutes or until it reaches a semi thick consistency.
- Serve with rice.