Never cooked lentils before? Neither had I before inventing this recipe. It’s pretty much foolproof. Hooray for curry!

Measure out your lentils

I’m using this fancy organic stuff… not for any reason, really

Pasty things!

Boil the lentils with your other ingredients…

…and wait until all of the liquid is absorbed.

Pretty good plain!

Coconut Curried Lentils: even better with something creamy!

Things you need to impress your friends:

• 3/4 c grey lentils
• One 13.5-oz can of light coconut milk (you can also use the full-fat stuff, I’m sure)
• 13.5 oz hot water–just fill the coconut milk can
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tbsp lime or lemon juice
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped small-ish
• 1.5 tbsp red curry paste
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped into small cubes
• Salt, to taste

Cook all of the ingredients in one pot–uncovered and on medium heat–for 35-40 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Watch the pot; a film will form on the surface, and the stuff will also boil, so you’ll need to stir from time to time. If your lentils are still a bit tough once the liquid has run out, just add a bit more water (veggie stock works, too).

Add any desired salt once it’s done. Top with goat cheese (I used honeyed goat cheese here), Greek yogurt, or paneer. Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side.