SLOW COOKER INDIAN-SPICED LENTILS

I never thought that slightly-mashed lentils would fall within the realm of my comfort foods, snuggled up along with my mac n’ cheese, pizza, and other cheesy, doughy dishes. But when seasoned and slow cooked, there’s such a coziness and familiarity to them, as if I’ve been eating them for my whole life. Those of you who’ve had them before know what I mean. Now, mind you, there are traditional ways to make dahl (Indian lentils), and this recipe is in no way traditional. I don’t toast and then grind my own spice seeds, or use ghee, or employ any of the proper techniques. 

But what this dish lacks in authenticity, it makes up for in ease– and not for lack of flavor, either. I still use the same signature flavors, just with some Morgan-style simplifying. By the way, I know that it’s not the most photogenic dish, despite the fact that you’ve got such vibrant colors and contrast from the turmeric, curry powder, tomatoes, and cilantro. But you’ve got to trust me here. It’s delicious.

SLOW COOKER INDIAN LENTILS

Prep Time: 20 mins  Cook Time: 4 hours  Yield: 12

INGREDIENTS

3 cups red and/or yellow lentils

4-6 serrano chiles, depending on heat preference, stemmed and seeded

1 large onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic

3″ piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons curry powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

Kosher salt, to taste

4 tablespoons butter, optional

14 ounces heavy cream or unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to serve

Basmati rice, to serve

Naan, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, soak the lentils for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse well, and then transfer the lentils to the bowl of the slow cooker.
2. Combine the serrano chiles, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, chili powder, and sugar in a food processor. Process until the mixture becomes a paste and is well-combined. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Stir in 6 cups of water and the diced tomatoes.
3. Read full recipes here >> hostthetoast.com/slow-cooker-indian-spiced-lentils/

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