Curry Lentil Chili

I mentioned in my previous post about how I intend to try to lose a little bit of weight over the coming months (bikini season will be here before we know it). In addition to actually getting my money’s worth out of my gym membership, I’m also planning on not living on a diet consisting solely of fried foods and booze. Part of that includes taking more of a Dan Barber approach to eating—less meat-centric meals and more of all the other stuff. By making this vegan chili to bring to work for lunch (and getting a salad one day), I (somewhat randomly) was a vegan for breakfast and lunch all during the week! I didn’t realize until about halfway through, but felt committed once I realized it was happening to try something new for myself. Aside from the fact that I grew tired of eating the same thing day after day (hence the salad thrown in), this lentil chili recipe didn’t make me feel like I was missing out on anything.

During my recent internet browsing I discovered that the UN General Assembly has gone so far as to declare 2016 the International Year of Pulses. And to answer the question of what is a “pulse”:

“Pulse crops such as lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas are a critical part of the general food basket.  Pulses are a vital source of plant-based proteins and amino acids for people around the globe and should be eaten as part of a healthy diet to address obesity, as well as to prevent and help manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, coronary conditions and cancer; they are also an important source of plant-based protein for animals.”

So without really knowing, it seems I’ve become part of some sort of movement. Care to join me?

Instead of the “traditional” chili flavors, I used curry powder as my main flavoring agent. Curry powder is a spice mix generally consisting of turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chili peppers—many of which wouldn’t be out of place in even the most standard of chili recipes. Sweet potatoes supply some great nutritional value and the lentils give the chili some much needed textural contrast. The recipe below makes A LOT, so feel free to scale it back to prevent lentil chili burnout, or you can freeze some of it like I ended up doing.

Vegan Curry Lentil Chili:

• vegetable oil
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 bell peppers (red, orange, and yellow), seeded and diced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• kosher salt
• One 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups green lentils, picked and rinsed

Yield: 8 servings

Procedure:

1. Heat some oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes. (Add more oil as necessary throughout this and the next step to prevent the vegetables from sticking.)
2. Add the peppers, onion, curry powder, red pepper flakes, and some salt and cook until the vegetables start to soften, another 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the vegetables evenly and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
4. Add the vegetable stock, water, and lentils, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.