Curried Vegetarian Meatballs

Ingredients

• Lentils

  Raw

  ½ cup or 96g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  1 cup or 237g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  1 tbsp or 14g

• Scallions

  Spring onions or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw

  ¼ cup, chopped or 25g

• Garlic

  Raw

  1 cloves, minced or 3g

• Carrots

  Raw

  ½ cup grated or 55g

• Pecans

  Nuts

  ¼ cup, chopped or 27g

• Walnuts

  Nuts, english

  ¼ cup, chopped or 29g

• Bread crumbs

  Dry, grated, seasoned

  ¼ cup or 30g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  ½ tsp, ground or 2g

• Coriander seed

  Spices

  ½ tsp or 0.9g

• Salt

  Table

  ½ tsp or 3g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  ¼ tsp or 0.5g

• Egg

  Whole, fresh eggs

  1 large or 50g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  1 cup or 216g

• Onions

  Raw

  4 medium or 440g

• Garlic

  Raw

  10 clove or 30g

• Ginger root

  Raw

  1 tbsp or 6g

• Peppers

  Hot chile, sun-dried

  3 pepper or 2g

• Curry powder

  Spices

  4 tsp or 8g

• Cumin

  Spices, cumin seed

  4 tsp, ground or 12g

• Turmeric

  Spices, ground

  4 tsp or 9g

• Coriander seed

  Spices

  3 tbsp or 15g

• Peppercorn

  Whole peppercorns, black

  1 tsp or 2g

• Tomatoes

  Red, ripe, canned, packed in tomato juice

  2 cup or 480g

• Bay leaf

  Spices

  1 tbsp, crumbled or 2g

• Lemon juice

  Raw

  1 tbsp or 15g

• Cayenne pepper

  Spices, red or cayenne

  ½ tsp or 0.9g

• Fresh cilantro

  Coriander leaves, raw

  4 sprigs or 9g

Directions

1. Combine lentils and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until lentils are tender, about 23 to 25 minutes. If needed, add more water to prevent drying out. Drain any excess water.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the scallions, 1 clove minced garlic, and carrots. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes until carrots are tender.
3. In a food processor, combine the cooked lentils, scallion mixture, nuts, panko, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Pulse to combine. Add the egg and pulse until the mixture is cohesive but the lentils are still visible. Let rest while preheating the oven to 425°F.
4. Roll the lentil mixture into 12 balls, about the size of a golf ball. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and brush with olive oil. Bake until browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions, remaining garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and starting to brown, about 8–10 minutes.
6. Add chiles, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and peppercorns. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and spices stick to the pot, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaf, stirring and scraping the pot. Bring to a boil, add 2 cups water, and return to a boil. Simmer until flavors meld, 25–30 minutes.
7. Let the curry sauce cool slightly, then blend until smooth. Return to the pot, stir in lemon juice and cayenne, and adjust salt to taste.
8. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat, add the lentil meatballs, and heat through. Serve garnished with cilantro.

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