Thai Red Curry Lentils with Coconut Rice

About This Recipe

Lentils aren't a traditional Thai ingredient, but this dish borrows two genuinely Thai techniques and applies them to lentils in place of the more typical meat or seafood: a red curry paste base bloomed in coconut cream, and coconut jasmine rice, a common accompaniment to Thai curries throughout the country. The result reads as authentically Thai in flavor even though lentils themselves come from outside the cuisine's usual pantry. The key technique is splitting the coconut milk: the thick cream that rises to the top of an unshaken can is fried with the curry paste first, which is how Thai cooks build a rich, slightly oily curry base (this step is called 'breaking' the coconut cream) before the thinner coconut milk and stock go in to simmer the lentils to tenderness. Skipping this step and just dumping in a full can of coconut milk gives a thinner, less developed curry flavor. Finished with fish sauce, palm sugar, and a good squeeze of lime, the curry balances rich coconut fat against bright acidity, with the lentils turning creamy but holding their shape, served over rice cooked in coconut milk for a fragrant, slightly sweet base.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsdried red lentils(rinsed)
• 2 cans (14 oz each)coconut milk(unshaken, divided)
• 3 tbspThai red curry paste
• 1onion(diced)
• 1red bell pepper(sliced)
• 2 cupsvegetable stock
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tbsppalm sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tbsplime juice
• 2 cupsjasmine rice(for coconut rice)
• 0.5 cupThai basil(chopped, for garnish)
• 1Thai chile(sliced, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the coconut rice

   Combine jasmine rice with the thin coconut milk skimmed from the bottom of one can plus enough water to equal your usual rice-to-liquid ratio. Cook according to package directions or in a rice cooker.

2. 2

   Fry the curry paste

   Spoon the thick coconut cream from the top of the second can into a pot over medium heat. Cook 2-3 minutes until it starts to separate and turn slightly oily, then add curry paste and fry 2 minutes until deeply fragrant.

   Frying the curry paste in just the coconut cream, not the whole can, is what builds real depth of flavor — this is the same technique used to start most Thai curries.

3. 3

   Add the vegetables

   Add onion and bell pepper to the pot, cooking 3-4 minutes until softened.

4. 4

   Simmer the lentils

   Add rinsed lentils, remaining coconut milk, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the curry has thickened.

5. 5

   Season and serve

   Stir in fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over coconut rice, topped with Thai basil and sliced chile if using.

Variations

• •

  Add a handful of baby spinach or Thai eggplant in the last 5 minutes of cooking for more vegetables.

• •

  Use green curry paste instead of red for a different, herbier flavor profile.

• •

  Swap lentils for chickpeas for a firmer-textured curry that holds up well for meal prep.

Storage

Refrigerate curry up to 4 days in an airtight container — the flavor deepens well overnight. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen it back up, since lentils continue absorbing liquid as they sit.

Frequently Asked Questions