OMG.
Do you see that yellow glow coming from this pot o’ curry? Okay, ignore the yellow light reflection in the actual pot (photo shoot fail!) but look INSIDE at that rich, vibrant curry sauce that BEGS for your tongue to do the Electric Slide through it.
That glow is turmeric. AKA: God’s gift to EVERYTHING EVAR.
I was given the Cooks Illustrated cookbook for Christmas and it’s safe to say there have probably been 20 whole minutes in the last 3 weeks when this book wasn’t in front of my face. Sure it has no pictures in it, and it’s 45 thousand pages long, but it’s in part by my boyfriend, Christopher Kimball.
Uh, HAVE YOU SEEN HIS BOW-TIE? …just stop it…..
This curry recipe jumped off the page and punched me in the nose as soon as I read it. A) It’s so, so easy. B) It took no time at all, and C) It allowed me to pretend I was a cook on America’s Test Kitchen, standing next to Christopher (Wait, can I call you Chris?) making brilliantly awful puns about curry and bonding over our matching bow-ties.
I only willy-nilly’d a smidge. Their version called for channa dal (Indian yellow split peas) but all I had was a China doll. OHHHHH ME. I’m kidding. I used green lentils instead.
When it comes time to taste the sauce towards the end, think of me. Think of me when those flavors body-slam your psyche.
The. Places. This. Will. Take. You…
Beef and Lentil Curry:
(Adapted from Cooks Illustrated)
I think this should be my NEW LOOK. Yeaaaaah!
What it took for 4:
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 1 Tbs ground coriander
* 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tbs. freshly grated ginger
* 1 1/2 pound top sirloin, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized chunks
* 1 (14.5 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed with your hands
* 1 tsp ground turmeric
* 2 cups water
* 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
* 1/2 cup french green lentils
* fresh cilantro for garnish
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 2 cups cooked white or brown jasmine rice
Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin seeds and coriander together, until finely ground.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the spices and bloom 20 seconds.
Toss in the onions and saute until soft, 4 minutes.
Back in the mortar and pestle, crush the garlic with the grated ginger, along with a pinch of salt, to form a paste.
Add garlic-ginger mixture to skillet, along with the beef, crushed tomatoes, turmeric and a good pinch of salt. Cook 8 minutes, until spices start to become fragrant.
Add the water, jalapeno pepper and the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are cooked through and everything smells so good you have a slight conniption, about 40 minutes.
Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Stir in the cilantro and serve with cooked rice.
Freak out on yourself.
Anything involving curry gets my vote!
GOR-GEOUS!! I’m a curry fan-atic!
haha, your new look is SEXY! this sounds awesome — anything with curry and lentils..you can give me the entire pot. pleaseeeeeee?
Love that last photo! And I will think of you when I taste this. I will.
This looks so good! Im on a bit of Jan budget though (boo) – do you think it would work with ground beef….??
I totally think ground beef would work! I WILL say, go with the leanest possible beef, so it’s not too greasy, and you don’t feel the need to drain it. Because then you’d be draining all the pimp flavors. So yeah, try a lean ground beef and let me know how it works!
(or chicken breasts!)
Cooks illustrated is my favorite cookbook. This is heavenly. Lentils on the brain today!
I am totally making this! Sparkling pot and all. And I think you’d rock a giant polka-dotted bow tie.
I need this for dinner tonight, I love curry! Loving that bowl!
That silver bowl is amazing…I like the idea of my tongue doing the electric slide through all of this deliciousness. Also, when we (one day) meet…can you please dress yourself like that lady in the red bow tie?? Puhleeeze?
Oh yes please. This sounds just wonderful. I think the Cooks Illustrated books are always reliable, but I wish they had photos.
This is so gorgeous. And the flavors…I want some!!!
I don’t eat beef but I’d eat anything out of that gorgeous serving bowl. I am thinking you got that on one of the Instagram pics from your thrift shopping adventures. Gorgeous!
I totally want to try this!
Curry and lentils together in one pot? Sign me up! I love everything in here, especially if I can make it extra spicy!
I’d brown the meat in a skillet first to keep all the juices inside and caramelize and then add to the pot. It just makes the meat taste better. I do the same thing when I make vegetable stew. Just one more step but it makes the meat so tender.
Yeah, I usually sear the meat too before adding it to liquid. But the man with the bow-tie suggested otherwise, and I think we all know we need to obey the bow-tie.
(p.s. AND it didn’t need it. Everything was so dad-gum succulent and tender without ze sear!)
Everything about this is gorgeous – the curry, the serving dish, the photos. Well done, Bev!
This looks amazing!! And China doll? I lolled.
I guess I haven’t met this man with the bowtie – but I’m sure he knows his stuff!!!
You know you’re legit when you use a mortar and pestle
Love this!
My, that looks regal, doesn’t it?? In the silver pot with the yellow glow?
Certainly looks delicious!
Oh Bev, your photos are gorgeous as always so shut it
Loverly. Absolutely loverly. The pics, the curry, the sliver platter. All of it.
What would the amounts for spices be if you have them already ground? Thanks!
I’d say just a Tbs of each! That should do it.
please and thank you, deliver this tonight. holy moly it looks delicious.
Can this be made in the crock pot? Looks like a good candidate for a slow cook, whatcha think?
Oh, I bet it totally could! Try it and let me know the levels of amazingness you experience.
Chris is MY boyfriend. Don’t you dare steal him away from me with that gorgeous smile of yours! Or I’ll come getcha!
Oh great – another cookbook I need to add to my collection!
Hi Bev – do you think just regular lentils will be ok in this? I could not find french green lentils. Can’t wait to try this!
Regular would be just fine! They tend to cook quicker than the French ones, so maybe add them to the curry about 10 minutes in. You’ll be good to go!