This is an easy and affordable dish that is tasty and nutritious. You can use parsnip, carrot, swede, sweet potato or any veg to be honest (see photo below of a mushroom, courgette and spinach dahl). You can start with raw veg or use up roast veg leftovers. It’s up to you whether you peel the veg.
Ingredients
2 white onions
approx 800gm diced veg (carrots, parsnips, swede, sweet potato)
400gm red lentils
200gm leafy veg (spinach, chard, kale etc) – optional
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1.5 litres water
1 tin of coconut milk (optional)
squirt of tomato puree (optional)
1 lime, juiced (optional)
Spices:
2 tablespoons curry powder (or your own mix of cumin, gara masala, chilli, paprika, turmeric, ginger etc)
1 tablespoon mixed cumin/coriander/fenugreek/mustard seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh/powdered ginger
good splash chilli sauce/1 teaspoon chilli powder
salt/soya sauce/fish sauce/worcestershire sauce – as required for seasoning
Garnish options:
toasted cashew nuts, pickled red onions, yoghurt, fresh coriander (finely chopped)
Method
- Soak red lentils in plenty of cold water as they will expand.
- Heat oil in your saucepan. Dice onion, add to pan and sweat until onion is soft.
- Add seeds (if using), stir for 2 mins then add minced garlic, curry powder. If you are using raw veg, add it now with extra glug of oil, stir well and put saucepan lid on. Cook for 5 – 8 mins to infuse the flavours into the veg.
- Drain the soaking red lentils, add to the saucepan with your water (and coconut milk and tomato puree if using). Stir well so lentils don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Bring to the boil then put the lid on and turn heat down to simmer.
- If you are using leftover cooked veg, add this about 10 minutes after the lentils.
- Stir occasionally and add more water if required to get the consistency you like.
- When lentils are cooked, taste to check if extra seasoning is required.
- Garnish and serve with rice or flatbreads.
Lentil dahl with mushrooms, courgette and spinach:
Recipe inspired by: thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/melissa-hemsleys-parsnip-dahl-topped-with-roasted-parsnips-and-pink-pickled-onions/
