This lasagne includes all the 6 tastes leaving you feeling satisfied and nourished but not heavy or tired. The carefully balanced combination of ingredients are perfect for good digestion and overall health. If you suffer from a severe digestive imbalance, some of these ingredients may be too complex for your gut right now, so stick to your personalised dietary guidelines from your practitioner and swap ingredients where appropriate. This recipe is free of tomato, chilli, meat and dairy, making it non-aggravating for most constitutions. There is a large variety in texture from the rich puy lentils to the soft and creamy 'cheese' sauce. The lasagne sheets I used are wholemeal spelt and this along with the spinach and spices helps make the recipe less aggravating for individuals with predominant kapha dosha so they can still enjoy an indulgent pasta dish.
I have to admit, these quantities may not be exact but the basic technique is here, so see the quantities more as guidelines and work with the tray size you're using and your own feelings.
This should make a large lasagne suitable for 6-8 people
You will need at least one full packet of wholemeal spelt lasagne.
To make the sauce:
Half a squash chopped and roasted with:
1 tsp melted coconut oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp of dried or fresh thyme
1/2 tsp mixed spice (or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove)
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
Black pepper and salt to taste
Blend the roasted squash and any spices in the baking tray with:
1 packet (225g) of soft smoked tofu (I use clearspot)
1 packet (300g) of silken tofu (I used clear spring)
1 tsp of mustard (optional)
A pinch of ground nutmeg
1-2 garlic clove
1/2 inch of fresh ginger
Soya, coconut or almond milk (enough to make a thick sauce consistency)
Until smooth.
To make the lentil mixture:
Wash:
450g of dry puy lentils thoroughly (or dry brown lentils, or a mix of cooked canned lentils and beans- around 5 cans-in which case there's no need to cook them)
Fry with coconut oil:
1-2 large onions chopped finely
3-4 crushed garlic cloves
Until soft, keep on the heat and add a splash of:
Balsamic vinegar
Then add:
1 chopped courgette
6 chopped mushrooms
3 tsp of ground coriander
2 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp mixed herbs or dried thyme and oregano
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp of ground cloves
Black pepper to taste
Mix well then add the lentils, keep stirring
Mix 1 tbsp of:
Vecon (veg stock) with 1 litre of boiling water.
Add this to the lentil mix and keep stirring and adding more water until the lentils are cooked.
In the last 5 mins add:
A medium packet of frozen peas and cook until the mixture is boiling again.
(you can play around with the ingredients in this adding whatever is in season. Roasted beetroot is also delicious!)
For the spinach layer, steam:
4 large handfuls of spinach (or defrost a pack of frozen spinach)
Pat this dry so little water remains
Constructing the lasagne:
Heat the oven to around 200 degrees celcius
First paste half of the sauce mix on to the bottom of a medium baking dish (until its well covered), followed by a layer of lasagne (making sure the sheets NEVER overlap and are always covered in something moist)
Next pour over some of the lentil mix until it makes a 1-2 inch layer
Place another layer of lasagne sheets down
Pour over the rest of the lentil mix (or enough to make another inch layer - you may have some spare) followed by the the spinach forming an even layer
Create a final layer of lasagne and pour the last half of sauce over the top.
At this point you can grate on some vegan cheese if you like (the violife cheddar is good for this).
Bake in the oven for around 40 mins until the lasagne is soft and a knife goes through easily.
You can play with the layering, adding more or less lasagne layers as desired.
We served this with wilted rocket from the garden but any seasonal greens will do!
