South Indian Marry Me Lentils

5 from 9 votes

South Indian Marry Me Lentils

These marry me lentils are a vegan version of South Indian wedding curry. They have a rich flavor from the sauce from Hyderabadi wedding Chikin, made easier and in a single pan. (gluten-free with soy-free, nut-free, coconut-free, and oil-free options)

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Keyword: marry me lentils

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

To Dry Toast

2 tablespoons shredded coconut
¼ cup almond flour

For the Curry

2 teaspoons oil
2 green cardamom pods partially opened
1 ¼ cups chopped red onion chopped small
1/2 teaspoon salt divided
1 ½ to 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
½ to 1 teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi)
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste or 5 cloves garlic minced, 3/4 inch ginger minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for soy-free
¼ cup non-dairy yogurt or non dairy cream plus extra, for garnish
8 curry leaves finely chopped (fresh, frozen or dried) or omit.
¼ cup chopped cilantro plus extra for garnish
5 mint leaves finely chopped
½ of a hot green chili such as Serrano or Indian chili, finely chopped
15 ounce can of lentils drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked lentils, chickpeas, white beans, or other protein
lemon juice, cilantro, non dairy yogurt or cream for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dry toast the coconut and almond flour.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the shredded coconut and almond flour. Mix and toast until golden, about 3-4 minutes. They won’t pick up any color for the first minute or so but will start to turn golden as they toast. Stir frequently, until evenly golden. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Make the curry.

In the same skillet, add the oil and increase the heat to medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add the green cardamom pods and cook, stirring, for a few seconds until fragrant and changes color.
Add the onion and half of the salt. Continue cooking for another 7-8 minutes, adding splashes of water if needed, until the onions are golden brown. Reduce the heat to medium, and add in the Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, black pepper, and dried fenugreek leaves. Mix in a splash of water to prevent the spices from burning. Add in the sambal oelek, soy sauce, tomato paste, and ginger garlic paste. Mix in and cook for about 15 seconds. (If using minced ginger garlic, add that first, cook for 15 seconds then add the sambal oelek, tomato pastes, mix and cook for 15 seconds)
Mix in the non-dairy yogurt. Cook until the mixture is homogeneous and bubbling and getting a little glossy. Depending on the yogurt, it may not turn glossy but might start sticking to the pan. If it sticks, add a splash of water, non-dairy milk, or stock. Stir in the curry leaves, mint leaves, green chili, cilantro, and the toasted almond-coconut mixture. Mix well.
Mix in 1 cup of water or non-dairy milk. Add the remaining salt, and bring to a boil. Taste and adjust flavors, adding more salt, heat, garam masala, or lemon juice, if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add more water. Fold in the drained lentils, and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 4-5 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Serve.

Stir lightly, and switch off the heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro, non-dairy yogurt, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve over rice, quinoa, naan, flatbread, sourdough, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables.

Video

Notes

This recipe is naturally gluten-free, if you use the tamari option.
It’s soy-free, as long as you choose soy-free non-dairy yogurt and use coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.

To make it nut-free, omit the almond flour, and ensure the non-dairy yogurt is nut-free.

For coconut-free, omit the shredded coconut and make sure that your yogurt is coconut-free.

To make this without oil, dry toast the green cardamom until it starts to change color, then add onions and salt with 2-3 tablespoons of water or stock instead of oil, stirring and add more water, as needed, to water sauté.

Nutrition