I do love a good dhal and this one is no exception. It's made extra wonderful with the addition of paneer, which is my new favourite thing to cook with at the moment. It's a kind of Indian cheese used commonly in curries, not dissimilar to tofu, but creamier, firmer and more flavoursome. This is one of those versatile recipes where you can basically put anything in, depending on what veggies you've got in the fridge. It's incredibly comforting and great for those miserable winter nights when you just want something to warm you from the inside out. It also freezes well, so great to do in bulk.
Ingredients
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 block of paneer
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons of oil
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic, finally chopped
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3-4cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground chilli
400g can crushed tomatoes
400g can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cups mixed chopped veggies (carrot, kumara, potato, pumpkin, broccoli etc.)
4 handfuls of spinach (or a bag)
Method
Mix the lentils, stock and water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer till the lentils are soft (about 30 mins). They'll almost lose their lentil shape, and just turn to mush, that's how you'll know they're ready.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 6-8 mins till soft and golden brown. Add another drizzle of oil, the garlic, ginger and spices. Cook for a further couple of minutes till the mustard seeds start popping.
Add the onion mixture, crushed tomatoes, most of the coconut milk, salt, veggies and paneer to the pot of lentils. Simmer for 15-20 mins until all the veggies are soft and tender. You'll want to stir a few times to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Lastly, put the spinach in to wilt and cook for another couple mins. Once cooked, season it with salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice for a bit of tang. Serve with rice and garnish with coriander and the remaining coconut milk (optional).
It will do about four generous servings.
Enjoy
Eva x
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