Very Veggie Double Dhal

• hidangan: Serves 4-6

Bahan-bahan

200g red lentils

2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed

3-4cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

3cm piece of fresh turmeric, grated, or 1 tsp ground

2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

2 large carrots, scrubbed and coarsely grated

400g tin peeled plum tomatoes

400g tin Puy, green or brown lentils, or 200g pre-cooked lentils

200g tin coconut milk (optional)

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon, or to taste

Sea salt and black pepper

To serve (optional)

Raita or coconut raita

½ medium cucumber (about

200g)

2 inner sticks of celery

A scrap of garlic (no more than 1 clove)

½ tsp cumin or caraway seeds, bashed

200ml whole natural (or plant- based) yoghurt

1-2 tbsp mint leaves

1-2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

Arahan

Rinse the red lentils thoroughly and leave to soak in cold water while you start the dhal.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and fry for 10 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised. Stir in the garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin and fry gently for a couple

of minutes, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.

Tip in the grated carrots and stir to mix with the spices. Now add the tinned tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as they go in and picking out any stalky ends or bits of skin. Bring to a brisk simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes or so, to reduce and thicken the sauce.

Give the red lentils a final rinse, then add to the pan along with 200ml water. Stir and bring back to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 20- 30 minutes, until the lentils are completely tender and the dhal

is thick, stirring with a whisk towards the end to help break down the lentils.

Stir the tinned lentils through the dhal, along with the coconut milk if using. Let bubble for 5 minutes then turn off the heat and stir in lime or lemon juice to taste. Leave to sit for 10 minutes - the dhal will thicken up on standing. Taste to check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper and more citrus juice if needed.

Serve the dhal with the raita (if you've made it) and finish with a scattering of lime or lemon zest. A simple green salad on the side

Raita

Coarsely grate the cucumber, then squeeze in your hands to remove some of the liquid before

placing in a bowl. Thinly slice the celery and add to the bowl. Grate or crush the garlic and mash with a small pinch of salt. Add to the cucumber and celery, along with the spice seeds and yoghurt, and mix well together.

Slice the mint into fine ribbons

and stir through the yoghurt mix, along with the chopped parsley. If you have time, leave to stand for 20 minutes or so, then stir the raita again before serving.

Nota

Having a good dhal recipe up your sleeve is a great thing. And having a pot on the go for a few days, to put alongside other things (including sausages and fried eggs!) is very handy. This one is packed full of plants, with lovely spices and veg boosting a double dose of lentils. I like to serve it with a creamy raita, flavoured with toasted coconut.

swaps Use grated beetroot instead of carrots for a lovely purple dhal. Parsnips and celeriac are other suitable alternatives.

Swaps - raita:

In place of the celery, you can use 6 radishes, a small fennel bulb or ½ small kohlrabi (about 100g), either finely sliced or coarsely grated.

A small wedge of raw squash (about 100g), grated, is a fun and colourful addition to the raita, especially when you're serving it with a squash dish.

Herbs Chopped coriander, lovage, chervil, tarragon or chives (or any combination of these), can be used instead of, or as well as, the parsley.

Coconut Scatter 150g desiccated coconut in a small ovenproof dish and toast in a preheated oven at

180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 for about 10 minutes until golden, then tip into a bowl and leave to cool. Once cooled, add 2 tbsp hot water and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Stir the coconut through the raita.