🥕 Hidden Veg Lentil & Pea Curry

Name: Hidden Veg Lentil & Pea Curry
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: ½ tbsp oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; ½ tsp fresh ginger, chopped; 1½ tbsp mild or medium curry powder; 2 tsp garam masala; 1 large carrot, diced; 1 small courgette, diced; 200 g cauliflower, chopped; ½ red pepper, chopped; 400 g chopped tomatoes; 400 ml coconut milk; 150 ml vegetable stock; 2–3 tins green or brown lentils, drained and rinsed; 150 g frozen peas; Salt and pepper, to taste

A mild, kid-friendly curry that blitzes carrot, courgette, cauliflower (and red pepper if you have one) into a smooth sauce — so fussy eaters can't spot the veg — then uses tinned lentils and peas in place of meat for protein and bite.

Serves 5. Tags: curry, mild, kid-friendly, vegetarian, hidden-veg, freezer-friendly.

Ingredients

½ tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp fresh ginger, chopped
1½ tbsp mild or medium curry powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 large carrot, diced
1 small courgette, diced
200 g cauliflower, chopped
½ red pepper, chopped
400 g chopped tomatoes
400 ml coconut milk
150 ml vegetable stock
2–3 tins green or brown lentils, drained and rinsed
150 g frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Fry the base: Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and fry gently for 2 minutes.
Toast the spices: Add the curry powder and garam masala, mix well, and fry for another minute.
Add veg, tomatoes and liquids: Add the carrot, courgette, cauliflower and red pepper (if using), then pour in the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the veg is soft.
Blitz the sauce: Using a hand blender (or in batches in a stand blender), blitz until smooth — this hides the veg completely.
Add lentils and reduce: Stir in the drained lentils. Simmer uncovered (or with the lid ajar) on a low-medium heat for 25–30 minutes if using 3 tins (15–20 minutes if using 2 tins), stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened around the lentils.
Add peas and finish: Stir in the frozen peas and simmer for a further 5 minutes until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve: Serve with boiled rice. Add a splash of chilli sauce to adult portions for extra heat.

Notes

Tinned lentils are already cooked, so they don't need a long simmer from raw — the extra time at the end is purely to reduce and thicken the sauce.
If it's still looser than you'd like, take the lid off entirely for the last 5–10 minutes to let more steam escape.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2–3 days or freeze well.