Spiced Lentil Stew with Sweet & Sour Cauliflower

Spiced Lentil Stew

with Sweet & Sour Cauliflower

45 MIN
2 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
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Vegetarian
These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.
Carb Conscious
These meals have 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. They replace refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
Wellness Grain
These recipes feature grains such as barley, quinoa, farro, orzo, couscous and more, handpicked by our Culinary team in collaboration with our Registered Dietitian.
Pescatarian
These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.
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From the Test Kitchen

“Dal” is a hearty, warming dish of lentils often slow-cooked with spices until they develop a creamy, delicate texture. Our take features yellow lentils cooked with a blend of spices including turmeric, cumin and brown mustard seeds. We’re topping each bowl with pan-crisped cauliflower (yours may be white or green Romanesco), whose sweet and tangy flavors are inspired by another classic Indian dish, “gobi Manchurian.” Warm naan bread and a cooling lime-yogurt sauce round out this satisfying vegetarian meal.

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  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    800 Cals (est.)
fresh
ingredients
time-saving
tips & techniques
Prepare the ingredients & make the yogurt sauce:
1 Prepare the ingredients & make the yogurt sauce:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and small dice the onion. Peel and mince the ginger. Cut out and discard the cauliflower core; cut the head into bite-sized florets. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Using a peeler, remove the green rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter the lime. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, lime zest and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the lentils:
2 Cook the lentils:

In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the lentils and as much of the spice blend as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant. Add the coconut milk (shaking the can just before opening) and ¾ cup of water. Heat to boiling on high; once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 to 22 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Start the cauliflower:
3 Start the cauliflower:

While the lentils cook, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cauliflower; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add ½ cup of water; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until the water has cooked off. Add the juice of 2 lime wedges; cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.

Coat & crisp the cauliflower:
4 Coat & crisp the cauliflower:

While the lentils continue to cook, add the flour to the bowl of cooked cauliflower; season with salt and pepper. Carefully toss to coat. In the same pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the coated cauliflower (tapping off any excess flour) in a single, even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Season with salt and pepper.

Toast the naan:
5 Toast the naan:

While the cauliflower cooks, carefully place the naan directly onto the oven rack. Toast 4 to 6 minutes, or until slightly crispy and warmed through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, quarter the toasted naan.

Finish the cauliflower & plate your dish:
6 Finish the cauliflower & plate your dish:

Add the chili sauce and the juice of the remaining lime wedges to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until coated; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the cooked lentils between 2 bowls; top with the cauliflower. Garnish with the cilantro. Serve with the yogurt sauce and toasted naan. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

1 Prepare the ingredients & make the yogurt sauce:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and small dice the onion. Peel and mince the ginger. Cut out and discard the cauliflower core; cut the head into bite-sized florets. Roughly chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Using a peeler, remove the green rind of the lime, avoiding the white pith; mince the rind to get 2 teaspoons of zest (or use a zester). Quarter the lime. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, lime zest and a drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

2 Cook the lentils:

In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the onion and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the lentils and as much of the spice blend as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant. Add the coconut milk (shaking the can just before opening) and ¾ cup of water. Heat to boiling on high; once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 20 to 22 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the lentils:
Start the cauliflower:
3 Start the cauliflower:

While the lentils cook, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the cauliflower; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and slightly softened. Add ½ cup of water; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until the water has cooked off. Add the juice of 2 lime wedges; cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl. Wipe out the pan.

4 Coat & crisp the cauliflower:

While the lentils continue to cook, add the flour to the bowl of cooked cauliflower; season with salt and pepper. Carefully toss to coat. In the same pan, heat a thin layer of oil on medium-high until hot. Once the oil is hot enough that a pinch of flour sizzles immediately when added to the pan, add the coated cauliflower (tapping off any excess flour) in a single, even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Season with salt and pepper.

Coat & crisp the cauliflower:
Toast the naan:
5 Toast the naan:

While the cauliflower cooks, carefully place the naan directly onto the oven rack. Toast 4 to 6 minutes, or until slightly crispy and warmed through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, quarter the toasted naan.

6 Finish the cauliflower & plate your dish:

Add the chili sauce and the juice of the remaining lime wedges to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until coated; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the cooked lentils between 2 bowls; top with the cauliflower. Garnish with the cilantro. Serve with the yogurt sauce and toasted naan. Enjoy!

Finish the cauliflower & plate your dish:
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