Vegan croquettes of lentils and curried vegetables

We often learn from our mistakes. This is the case of these vegan croquettes with lentils and curried vegetablesI had intended to make some stewed lentils, but when I used a red lentil, they were cooked too soon and all the broth was absorbed, and they were overcooked, so they were very soft and a bit discarded. I tasted it and it was very tasty, so I thought of using it to make three things:

1. These delicious vegan croquettes of lentils and curried vegetables.
2. A cream, mashing everything with a little more broth and a little bit of coconut milk to give it creaminess. Accompanied with a little fried bread, or in my case, a fried green rice to give it a crunchy touch.
3. Vegetable burgers, simply shaped and coated in breadcrumbs, then grilled with a little oil.

And I assure you that all three turned out delicious! Would you like to make them with me? Remember that lentils are a source of vegetable protein, fiber and many minerals and vitamins, besides not providing hardly any fat.

INGREDIENTS:

• 200 gr of red lentils (you can also use the normal ones, but they will take longer to cook).
• 350 gr of chopped mixed vegetables: broccoli, pumpkin, cauliflower and carrots.
• Vegetable broth to cover the lentils (250 ml approx.)
• 1 spring onion.
• 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil.
• 2 teaspoons curry tikka masala.
• 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Bread crumbs.
• Olive oil for frying.

STEP-BY-STEP PREPARATION:

1. The first thing to do is to finely chop the spring onion, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a pressure cooker and sauté it over medium heat for 10 minutes with a pinch of salt. Stir from time to time and adjust the heat if you see that it sticks.
2. Add the rest of the vegetables well washed and cut into small pieces. Add another pinch of salt and sauté for another 5 minutes.
3. Add the curry and stir well so that it soaks in. Be careful not to let it burn.
4. Put the lentils, If they are red, they do not need to be soaked beforehand. If they are the normal ones, you have to leave them in abundant water for 10/12 hours. Stir and pour the broth in such a way that it covers them half a finger and half a teaspoon of salt.
5. Close the pot and when it rises and starts to steam, lower to medium heat (in my case the nº 5 in vitroceramic) and let it cook for 20 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and remove the pot. When it cools down, open it and in my case, as I said, all the broth had been absorbed. If this is not the case, put it back on the heat and let it reduce or let all the liquid evaporate.
7. Taste to see how salty they are and correct if they are bland. Stir with a spatula so that it becomes a paste, but not mush. Personally, I like it with some chunky pieces of vegetables.
8. With the help of your hand, form small balls. Roll them in breadcrumbs and fry in a frying pan with plenty of olive oil. But not too long or they may fall apart, just enough to get a golden brown. You can also bake them in the oven if you prefer.

I hope you like these vegan croquettes of lentils and curried vegetables|

I remind you that on my instagram @cocinayviajes ,I usually leave in stories and in highlights, some videos making my recipes that will help you a lot, or so I hope.

With all my love, remember, stay at home and take advantage of doing a thousand things!

Mireia Alum