This mildly spiced vegetarian curry has a tantalisingly rich flavour. It’s super quick to prepare and in my experience is a real crowd-pleaser to satisfy even the most hungry hordes. I’ve used lentils in this curry, and the soft potato brings an almost velvety mouthfeel, finished with some baby spinach for extra nutrition. In fact, this dish provides all the protein, carbs and vitamins needed to keep you healthy. Plus, it’s extremely cost efficient, coming in at under $3 per portion. With all that said it’s a great vegetarian dish to add to your repertoire.

Did you know? Lentils were one of the very first domesticated crops ever planted by our Neolithic ancestors dating back to ~13,000 years ago. This is largely due to the fact they are packed full of protein and carbohydrates. The humble lentil, a distant cousin of the pea, is also a great source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and B vitamins. Lentils eventually spread with agriculture during the Neolithic era to the ancient Greeks, who very much enjoyed and devoured them in all sorts of their traditional fare, but especially in soups. The comic play writer Aristophanes of ancient Athens blasted a critic of the lentil and notoriously said, "You, who dare insult lentil soup, sweetest of delicacies".

Chef Dylan's tip: Make sure you boil the potatoes until soft, and I mean fall apart perfectly soft. Also, please don't rush the caramelising of the onion and garlic, as this helps bring rich flavour to the dish. 

India is one of the most breathtaking places I've ever visited, and I had this somewhat unassuming dish in Jaipur, also affectionally named 'the Blue City because of the astounding number of blue-painted buildings there. We went to India on a pilgrimage of sorts to visit the ancestral village of my father-in-law, who is of Indian descent. 

We exit the hotel, and the hustle and bustle of India hit you like a slap in the face. Instantly, your personal space evaporates, and we are suddenly shoulder to shoulder with the locals. We slowly make our way down the street to the theatre where we have booked tickets to see the latest Bollywood blockbuster, a love story of epic proportions vibrantly displayed on every billboard in the city. On our way, we stumble across a small restaurant of just ten seats and decide to enter. 

We are greeted by the owner's wife and are shown to a table, and as we are seated, she tells us what we are eating. That is, the only thing they have on the menu, which she explains is a spiced potato, lentil and spinach curry. As it comes out in small metal dishes, I am relieved to find it is surprisingly mild, and I find it absolutely delicious. It's quickly devoured by all except for me, who is savouring every mouthful. "Can you get a move on, please, Dylan?" says Rane, my wife's father. "We need to get going, the movie is set to start in 30 minutes, and we have a bit of a walk". Reluctantly I scoff the last remaining mouthfuls whilst Rane is now giving the owner a generous tip. This elicits proclamations of gratitude and a large toothless grin. 

When we arrive at the theatre, we are the only Westerners in sight, much to the delight of everyone else. There are loud whispers from everyone who surrounds us. "Look", I hear someone say. "Can we get a photo? A photo together would be very nice. Thank you." a young man asks. "Ok, ok", I say, secretly enjoying the assumed fame. We take our seats, and the movie starts immediately with loud music. From the get-go, it is a totally immersive experience, with the audience totally euphoric throughout. There's constant noise, with booing and cheering in unison as the lead blunders his way to the girl of his dreams. There are roars of laughter when the lead makes a joke, and the dancing is electric, but most of all, the crowd is enamoured whenever there is so much of a hint of affection or romance. 

Hours pass, and we are as captivated by the audience as the movie. In the end, like any good romance, he gets the girl, and they ride off into the sunset on his motorbike, and the whole theatre erupts in a standing ovation. 

 I have a smile from ear to ear and turn to Rane and say, "Indians sure know how to enjoy the movies, don't they?". "Don't you know that's why they produce and sell so many Bollywood movies all over India?" he says proudly. 

Seriously, give this dish a go. If you're a vegetarian, add this to your arsenal of epic dishes to impress anyone who thinks every meal should have meat in it and watch their face when they take their first mouthful. I dare say if they enjoy the flavour, they shouldn't miss the meat.

Serves 4
 Prep time 10 mins
 Cooking 30 mins

Ingredients 
- 2 tbs oil
- 1x small onion, diced
- 3 x cloves garlic, diced
- 8 x small, washed potatoes, peeled and diced into quarters
- 1 x 400g can of cooked lentils 
- 2 x ripe tomato diced 
- 1x 400g can coconut cream
- 200g baby spinach
- 3 ½ teaspoons mild curry powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- 3 cups cooked rice

Method
1. Boil the kettle, and in a small saucepan, cover and boil potatoes on medium heat.
2. In a medium-sized fry pan on medium heat, add oil and fry onion and garlic until caramelised and fragrant.
3. Add curry powder, salt, pepper and garam masala and fry, stirring for 10 seconds.
4. Add diced tomato and turn to low and cook for 5 mins. 
5. Add coconut cream and lentils. 
6. Cook on low for 20 mins stirring occasionally.
7. Once potatoes are a soft strain. Add to curry. 
8. Add baby spinach and stir to wilt.
9. Serve with cooked rice.