Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Prep (before heat): Rinse the beluga lentils. Finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger, and green chili. Blend the soaked cashews with half of the hot water until completely smooth to create a cashew cream. Measure the whole and ground spices separately so they can go in fast.
  2. Put the beluga lentils, water, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape and a slight bite, 18 to 24 minutes. Drain any excess water and set aside.
  3. While the lentils cook, heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven or deep sauté pan over medium. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon; cook until the cumin darkens slightly and the warm spices smell fragrant, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the onion and a pinch of salt; cook until deep golden at the edges and sweet-smelling rather than sharp, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and green chili; cook until the raw smell is gone, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the sweet paprika, coriander, turmeric, and half of the garam masala; stir for 15 to 20 seconds. Add the tomato purée, sugar, the salt, and half the fenugreek leaves. Simmer at a steady bubble, stirring now and then, until the sauce darkens a shade, turns glossy, and the fat starts to peek through around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
  5. Stir in the cashew cream and the cooked lentils. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, adding more water as needed, until the sauce coats a spoon but still flows. Use a hand blender for 2 to 4 very short pulses on one side of the pot only, just to break a small portion of the lentils and give the sauce a lightly velvety body while most lentils stay whole. Finish with the remaining garam masala and half the fenugreek leaves crushed between your palms. Taste and adjust salt.

Plating & Garnishing

Spoon into shallow bowls over rice or alongside warm naan. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, a pinch of julienned ginger, and sliced green chili. Serve lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.

Storage

Cool completely, then portion and freeze. Freeze the curry plain; add cilantro, ginger, chili, and lemon only after reheating. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water until loose, glossy, and hot throughout.