Mauritian Kalia is a highly aromatic curry that usually calls for meat or fish. This vegan version, made with red lentils and eggplant, is versatile and comes together quickly.
It is nicely paired with Black Pepper and Turmeric rice to make an easy-to-make weeknight dinner or to feed a crowd on a budget without much prep work.
What is Kalia Curry?
Kalia curry originates from Northern India. However, the dish has travelled and we find an adapted version in Mauritius.
It is basically a minty yogurt-based curry that lends a tangy flavour alongside beautiful earthy spices like garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, and floral hints of cardamom.
More Kalia Recipes from the Blog
I’ve featured a few Kalia recipes before, like the Cauliflower and Soy Chunks Kalia, the Jackfruit Kalia Curry, and Eggplant with Kalia Gravy, each with slight variations.
A Vegan Take on the Kalia Curry
In this version, coconut milk provides a rich base, and tamarind brings the tanginess, balanced by a little coconut sugar at the end to round off the flavours.
To make this dish more accessible, I’ve introduced spices in their powdered form. However, in the other variations of the kalia recipes that I’ve mentioned above, you’ll find whole spices sometimes being used if you’re curious to find out more about the kalia preparation.
The whole dish feels like more than what you put in. Lentils being very affordable, this curry is one to keep and make over and over again.
Variations and Serving Suggestions
This curry is versatile. You can swap in other vegetables that you have on hand, like cauliflower, zucchini, carrots or butternut squash.
Fresh mint is a key ingredient in the Mauritian Kalia curry, although I’ve made it before with dried mint when unavailable, with quite good results.
Coconut milk adds a lot of richness to the red lentil base. If you’d like a lighter version, vegan yogurt is a good substitute. Omit the tamarind in this case.
Tamarind contributes a complex tangy flavour profile that is not quite like anything else. If you can’t access tamarind, you may replace it with the juice of half a lemon or add half a cup of crushed tomatoes to the sauce.
If you’re using tamarind in the form of a block with the seeds, see this short tutorial about how to deseed and prepare tamarind paste for use in recipes.
Black Pepper and Turmeric Rice
Basmati rice is first tossed in a little coconut oil, then cooked with turmeric, black pepper and cardamom. The turmeric rice on its own is quite scrumptious, with floral notes from cardamom and a warm hint of black pepper.
Since basmati rice is quite light and cooks within 15 minutes or so, it’s especially suited for a quick weeknight meal. Make it while the curry is simmering, and everything comes ready at about the same time.
You can find the full Black Pepper Turmeric Rice recipe here if you’d like the detailed steps.
The whole meal only takes around 45 minutes to make, including prep time.
Watch How to Make this Curry
You can see the step by step process in this video, where I also show you how to make the Black Pepper Turmeric Rice.
Save this Curry Dish
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might want to save it for later.
Lentil Kalia Curry with Eggplant
A rich and aromatic vegan lentil curry inspired by Mauritian kalia. Made with red lentils, eggplant, coconut milk, and warming spices, this dish comes together quickly and is perfect for a comforting weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 400 g red lentils (2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, deseeded
- 1 small onion, (about 1/4 cup), finely chopped, optional
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, optional
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 green chilies, whole, optional
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil, or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or cayenne pepper
- 400 ml coconut milk, (1 can), use thick and creamy canned coconut milk
- 6 - 8 sprigs mint leaves, (about 1/3 cup), finely chopped
- 15 sprigs coriander leaves / cilantro, (about 1 cup), finely chopped
- 1 medium or large eggplant, cut into cubes or thick quarter slices
- 2-3 teaspoons coconut sugar, or other sweetener
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the curry ingredients:
- Rinse the red lentils a couple of times, cover with plenty of water, and set aside to soak while you prepare the ingredients for the curry.
- Place the tamarind paste to soak in a little hot water. Once the paste is loose enough, remove the seeds and squeeze out all the juice from them.
- Once the eggplant and herbs are all chopped, start to make the curry.
Make the curry:
- In a wok or deep sauté pan, heat the coconut oil on medium heat.
- Add the onion, garlic, and green chilies (if using).
- Add the minced ginger. Sauté for about 30 seconds or until lightly fragrant.
- Add all the dry spices: garam masala, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and chili powder. Sauté for about 20 seconds.
- Add a little of the coconut milk to deglaze the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add half of the mint leaves. Cook until fragrant and the sauce is slightly reduced. Add about half of the remaining coconut milk.
- Add the soaked and drained lentils, followed by the tamarind water and 600 ml (2½ cups) water.
- Add the rest of the mint, and half of the coriander (cilantro).
- Add the eggplant, stir with the lentils.
- Add the remaining coconut milk.
- Season with salt and stir.
- Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15–20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and melting into the sauce.
- Taste and add sugar to balance the acidity. Adjust seasonings.
- Garnish with the remaining coriander (cilantro). Turn off heat.
Notes
If using tamarind from a block with seeds, see this tutorial how to deseed and prepare tamarind paste.
Discover more from Veganlovlie: Scrumptious Vegan Recipes
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