Malaysian squash and courgette rendang with red lentils

Name: Malaysian squash and courgette rendang with red lentils
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Malaysian
Ingredients: 1 stalk lemongrass, roughly chopped; 4 cloves garlic, peeled; 4 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped; lime wedges, to serve; flaked sea salt; 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), cut into 2–3cm/ ¾–1¼ inch chunks; 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), cut into 2–3cm/ ¾–1¼ inch chunks; 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup; 1 tsp flaked sea salt; 1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil; 1 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil; 1 tbsp tamarind paste; 2 long red chillies, roughly chopped; 1 tsp turmeric; 2½ cm/1 inch piece galangal, peeled and roughly chopped; 2½ cm/1 inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 cinnamon stick; ½ tsp whole cloves; olive oil 8–10 cardamom pods, crushed; olive oil 8–10 cardamom pods, crushed; handful coconut flakes; 1 tbsp agave or maple syrup; 400 ml/14 fl oz tin coconut milk; 400 ml/14 fl oz/1⅔ cups vegetable stock; 1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and cut into 2–3cm/¾–1¼ inch chunks; 150 g/7 oz red split lentils; 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn into quarters; 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3–4cm/1¼–1½ inch chunks

Preparation info

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
40 min

Appears in

The Flexible Vegetarian

By Jo Pratt

Published 2017

About

This is a regular in my house and I’ll often make double the amount of curry paste and keep it in a jar in the fridge for future quick-prep suppers. The squash, red pepper and courgette provide fabulous colour, and the added split red lentils result in a thick sauce that’s nutritionally balanced.

Ingredients

olive oil 8–10 cardamom pods, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp

Asia
Malaysia
Supper
Gluten-free
Vegan
South East Asia

Method

To make the spice paste, put all the ingredients into a small food processor or blender and blitz to form a smooth paste. Set aside or keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the paste and fry for a minute or so. Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves and lime leaves. Fry for a further minute, then add the butternut squash, red