Curries
Dhal Serve this with rice or bread as a simple supper. We have used chana dhal, an Indian chickpea, used most often to make dhal in India. You can use yellow split peas instead (the two are often confused). Split peas will give a slightly smoother dhal. Or you can experiment with any other kind of lentil. If you can't find fresh curry leaves, you can use frozen or dried ones. Prep time 15 minutes Cooking time 45 minutes Ingredients: 150g dried chana dhal or chickpeas soaked overnight in cold water 500ml water Salt and black pepper 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tbsp mustard seeds ½ tbsp cumin seeds A pinch of ground turmeric 10 curry leaves 1 onion, sliced 5 green chillies, sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tsp garam masala 3 large tomatoes, chopped To serve (optional): Juice of ½ a lemon Fresh coriander, chopped Method: 1. Drain the soaked split peas, then rinse and place in a large pan. Pour the 500ml of water over, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the peas are very soft. Season well. 2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the spices and curry leaves and fry over a medium heat until the mustard seeds start to pop. 3. Quickly add the onion, chillies and garlic and stir well. Cook for another 3 minutes, then add the garam masala. 4. Mix well, and then tip into the cooked dhal with the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further 10 minutes, adding more water if the mixture becomes too thick. Season well. 5. Take off the heat. Season. Add the lemon juice and coriander. What else you can do with dhal: You can add vegetables to the dhal to add texture and flavour and create a more substantial vegetable curry. Try blanching (in boiling water) or roasting a mixture of cauliflower and broccoli florets and stirring them in at the end. French beans, spinach and asparagus also work well. Top with a poached egg. Or even better, a fried egg with crispy edges. And maybe put some crisp fried onions on top of that. And serve with chilli sauce. For breakfast. Make a paratha-style flatbread. Finely slice an onion and some green chilli and mix it with the dhal and enough gram or wholemeal flour to make a dough. This can be quite firm. Wrap it in clingfilm and chill it in the fridge overnight. Roll it out into roughly shaped flatbreads and cook on both sides in a nonstick pan. Serve with yoghurt and pickle, or with curry. Alternatively you could try making dhal balls. These are a little like the Italian arrancini, made by deep-frying leftover risotto. Mix the leftover dhal with some gram or wholemeal flour, diced tomatoes, diced onion, and diced green chilli. Just enough flour so that it is firm enough to roll into little balls the size of a large marble. Shallow fry these in a pan and serve with yoghurt, some kind of indian pickle or chutney, and fresh coriander as a starter or light supper. I have had them in India for breakfast. If you want to be really adventurous, you can try stuffing these balls with cottage or feta cheese. Butter two slices of bread and sandwich cold leftover dhal between them. Toast in a toasted sandwich maker.
Indian sweet potato & dhal pies (serves 2) Ingredients: 650g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 carrots, scrubbed, halved and sliced lengthways 15g ginger, finely grated 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 2 tsp oil 1 tbsp curry powder 1 vegetable stock cube 2 tbsp tomato purĂŠe 85g red lentils good handful coriander, chopped, plus sprigs to serve generous spoonful 0% fat Greek-style yogurt broccoli, to serve (optional) Method: Place the sweet potato in a pan of boiling water and cook for 15 mins, or until tender. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and carrot, for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring for 1 min more. Tip in the curry powder, stir round the pan then add 750ml of the boiling water with the stock cube, tomato purĂŠe and lentils. Cover the pan and boil for 20 mins until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the chopped coriander. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, drain and mash them with the yogurt and seasoning. Spoon the lentil mix into one big or two individual dishes then top with the sweet potato mixture, scatter with the coriander and serve with broccoli, if you like.
Cauliflower, paneer & pea curry (serves 4) Ingredients: 2 tbsp sunflower oil 225g pack paneer, cut into cubes 1 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets 2 onions, thickly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 heaped tbsp tikka masala paste 500g carton passata 200g frozen peas small pack coriander, roughly chopped basmati rice or naan breads, to serve raita or your favourite chutney, to serve Method: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add the paneer and fry gently until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the remaining oil and the cauliflower to the pan, and cook for 10 mins until browned. Add the onions, and a little more oil if needed, and cook for a further 5 mins until softened. Stir in the garlic and curry paste, then pour in the passata and 250ml water, and season. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 18-20 mins or until the cauliflower is just tender. Add the frozen peas and crispy paneer to the pan and cook for a further 5 mins. Stir through most of the coriander and garnish with the rest. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread, raita or your favourite chutney.
Yellow lentil & coconut curry with cauliflower (serves 4) Ingredients: 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic clove, crushed thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped 3 tbsp curry paste (we used Bart Veeraswamy Gujurat Masala curry paste) 200g yellow lentil, rinsed 1½ l vegetable stock 3 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut, plus extra to sprinkle if you like 1 cauliflower, broken into little florets cooked basmati rice and coriander leaves, plus mango chutney and naan bread (optional), to serve Method: Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 5 mins, add the curry paste, then stir-fry for 1 min before adding the lentils, stock and coconut. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer for 40 mins or until the lentils are soft. During the final 10 mins of cooking, stir in the cauliflower to cook. Spoon rice into 4 bowls, top with the curry and sprinkle with coriander leaves, and coconut if you like. Serve with mango chutney and naan bread (optional).
Chickpea, tomato & spinach curry (serves 6) Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 3cm/1¼ in piece ginger, grated 6 ripe tomatoes ½ tbsp oil 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp turmeric pinch chilli flakes 1 tsp yeast extract (we used Marmite) 4 tbsp red lentils 6 tbsp coconut cream 1 head of broccoli, broken into small florets 400g can chickpeas, drained 100g bag baby spinach leaves 1 lemon, halved 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed 1 tbsp chopped cashew, to mix with the sesame seeds Method: Put the onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes in a food processor or blender and whizz to a purée. Heat oil in a large pan. Add the spices, fry for a few secs and add purée and yeast extract. Bubble together for 2 mins, then add lentils and coconut cream. Cook until lentils are tender, then add the broccoli and cook for 4 mins. Stir in chickpeas and spinach, squeeze over lemon and swirl through sesame and cashew mixture. Serve with brown rice, if you like.
Salads
Warm roasted squash and Puy lentil salad (serves 4) Ingredients: 1kg butternut squash, chunkily diced 1½ tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tsp thyme leaves 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 2 x 400g cans Puy lentils in water ½ red onion sliced 100g bag spinach 150g cherry tomatoes, halved 40g Cheshire cheese 1-2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds Method: Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Toss the butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic clove, thyme leaves and seasoning. Roast for 25-30 mins or until tender. Mix together the balsamic vinegar, ½ tbsp olive oil, the wholegrain mustard and 1-2 tbsp water. Drain the Puy lentils in water and toss with the dressing, red onion, spinach and cherry tomatoes. Divide the lentils between four plates. Top with the squash, then crumble over Cheshire cheese and pumpkin seeds.
Quinoa, lentil & feta salad (serves 4) Ingredients: 200g quinoa 1 tsp olive oil 1 shallot or ½ onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp tarragon, roughly chopped 14oz 400g can Puy or green lentils rinsed and drained Ÿ cucumber, lightly peeled and diced 100g feta cheese, crumbled 6 spring onions, thinly sliced zest and juice 1 orange 1 tbsp red or white wine vinegar Method: Cook the quinoa in a large pan of boiling water for 10-15 mins until tender, drain well, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small pan, then cook the shallot or onion for a few mins until softened. Add the tarragon, stir well, then remove from the heat. Stir the softened shallot and tarragon into the cooled quinoa along with the lentils, cucumber, feta, spring onions, orange zest and juice and vinegar. Toss well together and chill until ready to serve.
Soups
Spicy chilli bean soup Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tbsp tomato purÊe 1 tsp mild chilli powder ½ tsp ground cumin 400g can chopped tomatoes 500ml vegetable stock 400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed 1 red pepper, cut into chunky dice tortilla chips, to serve 4 lime wedges, to serve Method: Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and fry the chopped onion over a medium heat until tender. Add the garlic and tomato purÊe, stirring for 1-2 mins until combined. Sprinkle in the spices and cook for another 1 min. Tip in the chopped tomatoes, half fill the can with water, and add to the pan. Pour in the stock and simmer on a medium heat for 10-15 mins, uncovered. Season, then whizz using a hand blender until smooth. Add the beans and red pepper, and cook for another 15 mins until the pepper is tender. Serve in bowls topped with a small pile of tortilla chips and a lime wedge.
Chunky minestrone soup (serves 4) Ingredients: 3 large carrot, roughly chopped 1 large onion, roughly chopped 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 2 garlic clove, crushed 2 large potato, cut into small dice 2 tbsp tomato purĂŠe 2l vegetable stock 400g can chopped tomato 400g can butter or cannellini bean 140g spaghetti, snapped into short lengths 1â „2 head Savoy cabbage, shredded crusty bread, to serve Method: In a food processor, whizz the carrots, onion and celery into small pieces. Heat the oil in a pan, add the processed vegetables, garlic and potatoes, then cook over a high heat for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the tomato purĂŠe, stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 mins. Tip in the beans and pasta, then cook for a further 10 mins, adding the cabbage for the final 2 mins. Season to taste and serve with crusty bread.
Casseroles/stews/other
Spicy root & lentil casserole (serves 4) Ingredients: 2 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 2 garlic clove, crushed 700g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 4 carrot, thickly sliced 2 parsnip, thickly sliced 2 tbsp curry paste or powder 1 litre/1他 pints vegetable stock 100g red lentils a small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped low-fat yogurt and naan bread, to serve Method: Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Tip in the potatoes, carrots and parsnips, turn up the heat and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until the vegetables are golden. Stir in the curry paste or powder, pour in the stock and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the lentils, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils and vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir in most of the coriander, season and heat for a minute or so. Top with yogurt and the rest of the coriander. Serve with naan bread.
Falafel burgers Ingredients: 400g can chickpea, rinsed and drained garlic clove, chopped handful of flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1â „2 tsp harissa paste or chilli powder 2 tbsp plain flour 2 tbsp sunflower oil toasted pitta bread 200g tub tomato salsa, to serve green salad, to serve 1 small red onion, roughly chopped Method: Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a food processor along with the onion, garlic, parsley, spices, flour and a little salt. Blend until fairly smooth, then shape into four patties with your hands. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the burgers, then quickly fry for 3 mins on each side until lightly golden. Serve with toasted pittas, tomato salsa and a green salad.
Somerset stew with cheddar & parsley mash (serves 4) Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 1 leek, chopped 1 tbsp tomato purÊe 400g can chopped tomato 200g can butter bean, drained 400g can flageolet bean, rinsed and drained 200ml dry cider 250ml vegetable stock few sprigs thyme, leaves only Method: Heat oil in a large pan and fry the onion, garlic, carrot and leek until soft but not coloured. Add the tomato purÊe, chopped tomatoes, butter beans, flageolet beans, cider, stock and thyme and simmer for 15-20 mins until the stew has thickened and the veg are tender. Meanwhile, if you’re adding sausages to any portion, snip each sausage into 3-4 chunks. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and brown the chunks for 5 mins, then stir in appropriate portions of the stew and gently simmer for the remaining cooking time. Serve with the mash. Cheddar & parsley mash: Peel 850g potatoes, cut into chunks, and boil in salted water for 15 mins or so until tender. Drain, return to the pan and mash with a splash of milk, 25g butter, 75g extra-mature grated cheddar and a handful of chopped parsley. Season. If you like, put the mash in a heatproof dish, dot with butter and place under grill for a few mins for a golden and crisp finish.