So for tonight dinner I wanted to try out something I haven’t made before. I decided to make some Indian inspired dishes. These included Pumpkin and Lentil Coconut Curry, Yellow Split Pea and Brown Rice, Coriander Mixed Mushrooms and Savory Pineapple Spelt Muffins. It all turned out well, but for me it didn’t taste like the food from my local Indian. Most importantly though my family loved it and all had seconds. I have never cooked with fresh curry leaves before. The aroma was so delicious. It did give a more authentic fresh taste as well.
For the main dish, the Pumpkin and Lentil Coconut Curry, this was adapted from Jamie Oliver: Pumpkin, chickpea and coconut curry MFM recipe. I didn’t change that much, I just improvised for the ingredients I didn’t have and made a bigger portion. For the Yellow Split Pea and Brown Rice I used similar spices to the curry and seasoned it with lemon. The Coriander Mixed Mushrooms was a spare of the moment dish of ingredients that needed to be used. The Savory Pineapple Spelt Muffins were adapted from Savoury Chutney Muffins from The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions. I tried to make my own chutney and altered a couple of the ingredients.

Pumpkin and Lentil Coconut Curry (vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free)
Ingredients:
5 cups kent pumpkin (cut into cubs)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
60g frozen minced coriander leaves
sunflower oil
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 small fresh red chilies, diced
4 shallots, diced
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
20 fresh curry leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tin diced tomatoes
400ml coconut cream
1/2 cup water
1 tin brown lentils (400g)
Method:
1. Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Then add ginger, garlic, red chili and shallots. Saute for 3 mins or until slightly browned.
2. Then add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and coriander. Cook until curry leaves go a bit crispy.
3. Then add turmeric, canned tomatoes, coconut cream and water. Bring to the boil.
4. Then add pumpkin and place on a simmer. Cook for 30 mins or until the pumpkin is soft enough to put a fork through. Add more water if dries out.
5. Add the lentils and cook for a further 10- 15 min, then serve.
*Serves 6

Yellow Split Pea and Brown Rice (vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion flakes
12 whole curry leaves
4 whole dried red chilies
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups yellow split peas
4 cups filtered water
2 cups cooked brown rice
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt to taste
Method:
1. Take large pot and heat oil on medium heat. Then add mustard seeds, cumin, garlic powder, onion flakes. Cook for 3 mins or until fragrant.
2. Add curry leaves, red chili, turmeric and yellow split peas. Coat split peas in spices and cook for 2 mins. 
3. Add water, bring to the boil, then place on a simmer. Cook for 20 mins or until split peas are cooked.
4. Add cooked brown rice, juice of 1 lemon and sea salt, then serve.
* Serves 8

Coriander Mixed Mushrooms (vegan, gluten free, soy free, nut free)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoons onion flakes
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1-2 cups mixed mushrooms sliced (I used white & oyster mushrooms)
2 tablespoons frozen minced coriander leaves
Method:
1. Take a pan and heat oil on medium heat. Then add cumin, onion flakes and garlic powder. Cook for 2 mins or until fragrant.
2. Add mushrooms and coriander and saute for 5 mins or until cooked.
* Serves 4

Savory Pineapple Spelt Muffins (vegan, nut free)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pineapple salsa
1/4 cup tahini
1 tabelespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoons ground cayenne
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 cup spelt flour
3/4 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
Ingredients for 1 cup pineapple salsa:
400g pineapple (fresh or can)
10 sun dried tomates
2 garlic cloves
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease trays for 12 muffins
2. Take a mixing bowl and add pineapple salsa, tahini, sesame oil, coriander, cayenne and cumin. Stir all wet ingredients together.
3. Then sift spelt flour, plain flour and baking powder onto the wet ingredient, then add salt. Stir dry ingredients through wet ingredients. Add more soy milk if too dry.
4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray and bake for 20 mins.
* Makes 12 muffins.



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