It was so lovely catching up with my friend Katrina last weekend. Over lunch she raved about this healthy and easy dinner she’d recently tried out and by the end of her description I was keen to give it a go too. I don’t find it easy to cook tasty vegetarian dishes, and have felt the need to have a few more recipes of this kind up my sleeve when caring for vegetarian folk. And Katrina was right –  this little number ticked all the boxes: easy to cook, healthy in nature, tasty, affordable and freezable. To lower the GI, carbohydrate and fat content, Katrina helpfully suggests replacing the pumpkin with sweet potato, leaving out the cream altogether and serving it without rice because this curry is nutritionally complete on its own. She also suggested a dollop of greek style yoghurt on top which tasted great. Originally from Notebook Magazine, when served with rice, this vegetarian dish serves 6 people and costs around $7 to make.

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 3 tbs mild curry paste
• 1 tbs finely grated ginger
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) water or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup (105g) brown lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup (115g) red lentils, rinsed
• 600g butternut pumpkin, seeded, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
• 1/2 (about 600g) cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 cup (150g) frozen peas
• 1/4 cup (60ml) cream
• Coriander leaves, to serve

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion softens. Add curry paste, curry leaves and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add tomatoes and water and bring to a simmer.
2. Add combined lentils and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until lentils are almost tender. Add the pumpkin and cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, for a further 10 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Add peas and cream and stir to combine. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.