Chicken pumpkin and lentil curry

This dish requires a large slow cooker: 4–5 litres (4–5 US liquid quarts). This cooking technique has the advantages of allowing the chicken and the vegetables to mix over a long period of time, thereby transferring flavours to the meat. Lentils provide and excellent source of fibre. The dish can be served with a simple cucumber raita (Greek style yoghurt and finely diced cucumber).

The pumpkin is relatively high in carbohydrate and therefore is satisfactory for the weight maintenance category but if you are in the weight loss category then it would be sensible to replace the pumpkin with sweet potato which has a lower Glycemic Index (GI).
Ingredients Method
Ingredients
Chicken pumpkin and lentil curry
1
large brown onion, finely chopped
150
grams
spinach leaves
150
grams
coarsely chopped fresh coriander
2
cloves of garlic, crushed
2
centimetres
piece of fresh ginger grated
2
teaspoons
ground cumin
2
teaspoons
ground coriander
2
teaspoons
black mustard seeds
1
teaspoon
ground turmeric
1
red chilli chopped finely
750
millilitres
chicken stock
1
kilogram
chicken chopped coarsely either thigh fillets or breast
400
grams
can diced tomatoes
500
grams
pumpkin (or sweet potato) chopped coarsely
300
millilitres
canned coconut milk
150
grams
dried brown lentils
150
grams
dried red lentils
Cucumber raita
200
millilitres
natural Greek style yoghurt
Half a cucumber finely chopped
Method
1.Cook the onion, garlic and ginger, stirring in a large frying pan with some olive oil until the onion softens.
2.Add the spices and chilies and cook, stirring until fragrant.
3.Add the stock and bring to the boil.
4.Pour this mixture into the slow cooker. Stir in the chicken, undrained tomatoes and pumpkin.
5.Rinse the lentils under cold water until the water runs clear and then drain. Add lentils to the cooker.
6.Cook on low covered for 7 hours.
7.Add coconut milk and cook high covered for a further 15 minutes.
8.Stir in spinach and coriander.
9.Season with salt and pepper to taste.
10.Combine chopped cucumber and yoghurt.
11.Refrigerate before serving.