Simple red lentil dhal
★★★★★ Rating

Simple red lentil dhal

I recently started writing for health and wellness site Balance Garden, and this was my first recipe. The brief was for vegan or veggie dishes, and although I'm not either myself, I do cook a lot of meat-free meals and was up for the challenge. I got to work raiding my ideas cabinet and came up with this.

I make this dhal quite frequently but I still cooked about five kilos of the stuff in the recipe testing phase! Luckily I had a group of friends coming over for a playdate and lunch so everything was devoured.
Dominique Woolf Dominique Woolf
FEEDS:
4
TAKES:
90

INGREDIENTS

  •  1 tbsp oil
  •  1 onion, finely chopped
  •  1 thumb of ginger, finely grated
  •  3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  •  1 tbsp curry powder (whichever heat you prefer)
  •  1 tin of tomatoes (400g)
  •  250g red lentils, thoroughly rinsed until water runs clear
  •  900-1000mls of hot water
  •  Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large saucepan heat the oil then fry the onion on a medium heat for around 5-8 minutes, until golden brown.
  2. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn.
  3. Add the curry powder and fry off for another 30-60 seconds.
  4. Next add the tinned tomatoes. If they are whole, chop in the tin with either a pair of scissors or a knife. Stir these into the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Now add the lentils and 900mls of hot water, stirring well. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low heat and cover for around 30-35 minutes until the lentils are cooked, again stirring occasionally. It is important to keep an eye on them throughout. If they have absorbed all the liquid, just add a bit more water as you go (100mls at a time). Different brands can take longer to cook so you may have to adjust your cooking time accordingly and add more water if necessary.
  6. Once cooked, season to taste. Serve with fresh coriander and your accompaniment of choice.
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