Ingredients
For The Lentil Layer:
- 1 cup green lentils dried
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
For The Cucumbers:
- 1 large cucumber diced, unpeeled
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
For The Cauliflower Layer:
- 1 tablespoon ghee (vegan butter or coconut oil can be substituted)
- 1/2 large onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Juice of half a large lemon
- 3 cups cauliflower cut into small florets
For The Tomato Sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups Roma tomatoes roughly chopped (about 3 large tomatoes)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
- Juice of half a large lemon
- Ground black pepper to taste
Other Layers:
- 1 cup dairy-free plain yogurt
- 1 cup Roma tomatoes diced (about 2 large tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped
- Tortilla chips or naan bread for serving
Instructions
- Combine the lentils and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook until tender, about 20-25 minutes.
- While the lentils cook, place the cucumbers in a fine mesh strainer set over a large bowl. Toss with the salt and let sit while you make the rest of the layers.
- Heat the ghee up in a large, non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Cook the onion and all the remaining ingredients, up to the lemon juice, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden brown.
- Add in the lemon juice and cauliflower and stir to coat the cauliflower in the spices. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 12-15 minutes.
- Place all the ingredients for the tomato sauce in a large food processor or blender, and blend until smooth and combined. Set aside.
- Once the lentils are cooked, drain them in a colander and place into a large food processor. Process with the salt and garam masala until mostly smooth, but leaving some texture.
- Finally, squeeze out as much of the moisture from the cucumbers as you can. Then, place them onto a paper towel. Use another paper towel to really press out the excess moisture.
To assemble:
- Spread the lentils in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole pan. Then, spread the yogurt evenly over top, followed by the tomato sauce.
- Chop up the cauliflower mixture and sprinkle it evenly over the top. It won't completely cover the tomato sauce layer; just spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the diced cucumbers over the cauliflower mixture, followed by the diced tomato, and finally, sprinkle the cilantro over the top. Serve with naan bread or tortilla chips on the side.