Make this delicious Indian-inspired red lentil curry under 35 mins. Creamy and full-flavored curry that is gluten-free and can be made vegan. Serve it with a side of salad, rice/quinoa or any flatbreads. Instructions included for stovetop and instant pot.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200 grams) red lentils ((split or whole))
  • 2½ cups water ((more if needed, same for IP))
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons oil (/ ghee or butter)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves (or bay leaf)
  • 3 inch cinnamon piece (+ ½ tsp cumin seeds (omit if you don't have))
  • ¾ to 1 cup (1 medium) onions (fine chopped)
  • ¾ tablespoon (3 medium) garlic cloves (grated/pressed)
  • ¾ tablespoon (½ inch slice) ginger (grated/crushed)
  • 1 green chili ((optional, chopped or slit, serrano peppers/ Thai/ Indian green chilies))
  • 1¾ cups (3 medium) Tomatoes ((peeled & chopped/pureed or 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes))
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt ((more to adjust, cut down if your curry powder has salt))
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (/ paprika (adjust to taste))
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 teaspoons kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves))
  • ⅓ cup thick coconut milk/ heavy cream (/ yogurt/ cashew cream (20 cashews blend with ⅓ cup water))
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)

Method

How to make Red Lentil Curry

  1. Add red lentils to a pot and rinse them thrice. Drain and pour water. Bring to a rolling boil on a high heat and reduce to medium.
  2. Let cook until tender (al dente), for 10 mins. If you want you may skim the froth. Older lentils take longer to cook. While the lentils cook, chop and prepare the other ingredients.
  3. Heat oil/ghee in a medium pan. Add the whole spices, onions, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute until golden, for about 8 mins.
  4. Stir in ginger garlic and saute for a minute, until aromatic.
  5. Stir in the curry powder, garam masala and Kashmiri chili powder, followed by tomatoes & (a splash of water if using fresh tomatoes). Cover and cook until the tomatoes break down.
  6. Saute for 1 to 2 mins until the mixture turns aromatic.
  7. Add the red lentils along with the leftover stock/ water. Mix well and more water as needed. You will need about ½ cup. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
  8. If you want mash some of the lentils with the back of the spoon. Stir in kasuri methi and coconut milk or cream. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  9. Taste test. If you want, add more salt, garam masala or black pepper for heat.
  10. Garnish with coriander leaves and squeeze some lemon juice.
  11. Serve red lentil curry over rice or with Naan, Chapati, Roti or any other flatbreads.

Instant Pot Red Lentil Curry

  1. You don't need to cook the lentils separately. Make the masala first, add the lentils and pressure cook for 7 minutes. Wait for natural pressure release and add kasuri methi and coconut milk or cream.

Stovetop Indian Pressure Cooker

  1. You don't need to cook the lentils separately. Make the masala first, add the lentils to the cooker. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles on a medium heat. Wait for the pressure to drop and add kasuri methi and coconut milk or cream. If you want make a extra tadka.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.