Vegan Mung Bean Lentil Curry

Sometimes you need an energy boost to help you stay focused on your life goals. This mung bean lentil curry is an excellent addition to a healthy diet. It is also vegan and vegetarian friendly! This easy vegan meal can be prepared using only 10 ingredients.

“The first wealth is health”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

This dish was inspired by a chain of stressful months. To make life a little easier, I decided to relinquish some control over my kitchen and opt for simpler recipes so that I didn’t have to run around like a psycho trying to stick to wholesome eating. Some important life events were happening for me, and I wanted to tackle them as a brand new, healthier person.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Mung Bean Lentil Curry Recipe

• only 10 ingredients
• vegan and vegetarian friendly
• ingredients are easily interchangeable
• filled with healthy vegetables
• easy to prepare

Use Whatever Vegetables Available To You

I created this Mung Bean Lentil Curry using leftover vegetables in my pantry. A canister of lentils was collecting dust in my pantry, and refrigerator vegetables that needed to go.

I used… less than “fresh” produce that had been sitting on my counter and refrigerator. The garlic was fermenting a little and had a few blue spots; so was the ginger. The carrots were from a bag I had bought two to three weeks prior. The potatoes were a bit wrinkled and soft with questionable black spots. The mung beans were frozen leftovers I had cooked 3 months ago. But, I had neither the desire nor the money to get new produce.

So, after I performed the classic “sniff and taste” test, I found everything to smell… quite fine! I cut off the rotted bits of the produce, and continued on chopping.

Use Your Favorite Curry Powder

My dad bought me a bag of delicious curry powder called ECAF Curry while he was in Barbados. It is highly flavorful, containing a mixture of garlic, coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, mustard, cumin, and other spices. This is the curry powder I prefer to use, but you can use any of your favorite curry powders depending on your taste preferences.

I suggest using Caribbean or Indian curry blends for this recipe. Always conduct a taste test to make sure your curry is to your liking. Here are some suggestions if you are unsure where to begin:

Highly Flavored and Vegan Friendly

I added vegan butter toward the end of cooking to help pull the rest of the dish together. The extra fat makes the curry creamy and smooth. If you do not like vegan butter, you can use coconut oil. My home was filled with delicious aromas. I could have used all spanking new vegetables, and the dish probably would have turned out the same.

Money Saving Curry

I learned quite a few lessons after making this curry:

1. As long as I have curry powder, I can whip up a delicious dish.
2. I saved $15 to $30 instead of buying more food.
3. Zero waste. I composted the bad produce.

The curry tastes better as the days go on; just heat the leftovers in a skillet with a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of water to get the creamy consistency back.

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Special Tools and Equipment

• Large skillet – for easy cooking
• Large mixing bowl – for preparing the ingredients
• Silicone spatula – for mixing and stirring

Print

Mung Bean Lentil Curry

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 10 People

Author Christie C.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Red Onion chopped
• 8 Garlic Cloves chopped
• 2 inches Ginger chopped
• 3 Russet Potatoes cubed
• 2 Carrots chopped
• 3 Cups (675ml) Water
• 1 Cup (225g) Dry Red Lentils or a 50/50 mixture of red and green lentils
• 5 TBSP (75g) Curry Powder use for favorite brand
• 1 Cup (225g) Cooked Mung Beans or any variety of cooked beans
• Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder to Taste
• Vegetable or Olive Oil for tossing

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cubed potatoes and chopped carrots with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Make sure the vegetables are thoroughly coated. Spread them on a sheet pan lined with parchment or foil and roast the vegetables in the oven for 25 minutes. When finished, set aside in a warm place.
3. In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsp of vegetable oil. Simmer the chopped onions, garlic, and ginger in the oil until translucent and only lightly brown.

4. Add the water, lentils, and curry powder to the skillet. Cover the pot, and simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes.

5. Stir the mung beans into the skillet and season the curry generously with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

6. Stir in the vegan butter. You can also omit the butter or use any variety of butter.

7. Stir in the roasted vegetables and cook for another minute.
8. When finished, serve with Basmati rice cooked with star anise and bay leaf.

Recipe Notes

• Has a 5 to 7 day shelf life in the refrigerator.
• When having leftovers, add a few tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt to get it creamy again.

Did you give this Mung Bean Lentil Curry recipe a try? If so, please leave a rating and tell us how it went in the comments below!