Lentil and Mushroom Curry Recipe - Low Calorie
Lentil and Vegetable Curry
This is one of my old favorites to have on a cold night simply because it's comfort food. Now, just because the words "comfort food" is there doesn't mean that it has to be high in calories, full of fat, and really bad for your waistline. Any recipe can be easily adapted to become healthy and lower in bad fats and calories and this is exactly what I've done with one of my own curries.
Once this curry is made it is best served with lemon wedges, lettuce, cucumber, tomato slices and naan breads in my opinion, however, if you have a particular set of side dishes that you like to have with your curry then you can easily substitute those instead.
Lentil and Vegetable Curry
Cook Time
Are you a fan of curry
Cook Time Notes
If you're using dried lentils instead of the canned ones then you may find that they can take a very long time to prepare. You can actually save yourself a lot of time by preparing the lentils ahead of time, normally the night before by placing them in a bowl of water, or using the already hydrated lentils.
Depending on how thick you like you curry it can turn out to be fairly watery like a soup or if left for a few minutes longer very thick so that you can stand a spoon in it. I personally like mine thick so I tend to leave it for a little longer but just remember to compensate the time with any other side dishes that you are cooking or preparing for the meal.
The Best Food Is Fresh Food
Ingredients
- 225g/8 oz/1 1/3 cups whole brown lentils
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 25g/1 oz/2 tbsp low-fat spread
- 30ml/2 tbsp curry paste
- 900ml/1 1/2 pints/3 3/4 cups vegetable stock, made with 2 stock cubes
- 100g/4 oz cup mushrooms, quartered
- 100g/4 oz oyster mushrooms, quartered
- 150ml/1/4 pint/2/3 cup very low-fat plain yoghurt
- 15ml/1 tbsp curried peach chutney, chopped if necessary
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- coriander, roughly chopped
Ingredients And Measurements Notes
To make things simpler for you I have provided different metrics for you to use. However, it's best if you stick to one version of the metrics so that you can't mess up any of the quantities.
Lentils: they don't have to be brown, if you want to use different colors for different flavors then do so, it's not going to ruin anything, you just have to work with your tastes.
Onion: these can be red or white depending on your preferences. I personally prefer to you red ones as they give a sweeter taste.
Garlic Clove: you can also substitute garlic powder for actual cloves if you need to but the cloves are healthier for you.
Vegetable Stock: if you can make your own then that is the healthiest thing to do otherwise you can use something like a 
Oyster Mushrooms vs Other Mushrooms: although I like to use some oyster mushrooms in this for a different flavor you can easily substitute for any other mushrooms that you like. Mushrooms have such a variety of flavors that it really is entirely dependant on your own personal tastes and the others that you are cooking for.
Plain Yoghurt: you might be wondering whether to use greek or regular yoghurt, well the answer is fairly easy but it depends on how thick you want your curry to be. Greek yoghurt is going to give you a much thicker yoghurt whereas the normal low-fat yoghurt will yield thinner results so just use which ever you see fit for purpose.
Curried Peach Chutney: this is another of those ingredients which are much better home-made, however, if you don't have any in stock or just can't make it then store bought will do just fine as well.
Salt, Pepper, and Coriander: use all three of these to taste as your recipe will come out different each time you make it anyway so there is no real need for a set amount.
Instructions
- Soak the lentils in cold water for several hours, then drain thoroughly.
- Fry the onion and garlic in the low-fat spread in a large saucepan, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the curry paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Blend in the stock and bring to the boil.
- Stir in the lentils, cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 and a 1/2 hours.
- Add all the mushrooms and continue cooking for 30 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and nearly all the liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir in the yoghurt and chutney and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve on to warm plates and sprinkle the coriander on top.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1/4 of yielded amount | |
| Calories | 450 |
| Calories from Fat | 0 |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Equipment Used
Now making this curry can be made in any kitchen that has a regular set of supplies. I didn't use anything fancy to make the curry but just in case you're missing some equipment I'll provide a list here for you:
- Large saucepan, enough to hold about 2-3 liters
- Large bowl for the lentils, big enough to hold double the volume of initial lentils because the will swell with the water
- Knife: a knife sharp enough to cut through vegetables
- Spatula: metal, wooden or plastic it doesn't matter as it's just something to stir with
- Measuring jug: any type as long as it's large enough to contain your ingredients
- Scales: a standard set is fine, you'll only need a set that goes up to 1 kg max and that's it
If you're missing any of these items then you can easily find any of them from the kitchen sections of Amazon, eBay, or your local stores.
Other Recipes and Cook Books
- Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
A delicious strawberry cheesecake.
