Upside-Down Chicken Curry Bowl

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

I adore Indian food, and while my tastes range wide in that nation’s incredibly diverse cuisine, I have to admit that the rich, Westernized chicken tikka masala was my gateway love and still a guilty pleasure. But what does it look like when you flip the bowl and leave the curry until last? Can chicken curry be a lighter, fresher meal?

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water, plus more as needed
3/4 cup dried green lentils
1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cored and cut into florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons curry powder
5 ounces baby arugula
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups chicken tikka masala, warmed
1 cup whole-milk yogurt
1 small cucumber, diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted cashews (optional)

Instructions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.
Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lentils, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Add water as needed to make sure the lentils are just barely covered.
Meanwhile, roast the cauliflower. Place the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Roast until tender and browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl, add the lemon juice and curry powder, and toss to combine. Add the arugula and cilantro and toss again until wilted.
When the lentils are cooked, drain off any excess liquid. Add the lentils to the cauliflower mixture and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
To serve, fill bowls with the cauliflower mixture and top with a scoop of chicken curry. Top, if desired, with spoonfuls of yogurt and cucumber. Add cashews for a little crunch if desired.