Add pulses in your menopause menu: Spiced green lentil with kale and green beans
The aromatic spices in this mild lentil curry will get your taste buds flowing.
You’ll be getting your fair share of pulses with this dish, the combination of green beans and lentils contain few calories, are high in fibre and great for maintain a healthy menopause metabolism.
Lentils are full of fabulous folate, and according to a Harvard study, those suffering from depression usually lack folate. They’re also a fantastic energy booster as they have a high content of iron. Lack of iron may trigger stress, fatigue or could possibly be the reason behind hormonal depression too. So it’s worth adding these healthy pulses to your menopause diet.
Original recipe by Madhur Jaffrey, extracted from Curry Easy Vegetarian.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Ingredients
250g green lentils
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne pepper
115g green beans cut into 2cm segments
85g kale, thick stems and veins discarded, finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 5mm rounds
1 ¼ tsp salt
For the curry paste
1 tsp ginger peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp ground cumin seeds
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
3 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil
½ tsp whole cumin seeds
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes quartered
3 tbsp tomato passata
Method
Put the lentils, turmeric and 1.2 litres water into a medium pan and bring to the boil. Cover partially and simmer gently for 20 mins. Add the cayenne, beans, kale, coriander, carrot and salt. Stir and bring to the boil again. Cover partially and cook gently for another 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the curry paste: combine the ginger, garlic, cumin and coriander in a small bowl. Mix in 50ml water. Pour the oil into a medium frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the whole cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for 5 seconds, then add the shallot. Stir and fry until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and cook for a minute. Then add the spice paste and fry until you can see the oil along the edges, about 1 ½ mins. Add the tomato passata and fry about another minute, until you see the oil along the edges.
When the lentil mixture has finished cooking, add the spice paste. Stir and cook gently for another 5 minutes.