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| Red lentils.... |
If you haven't read A Thousand Splendid Suns or The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, then you have missed two novels of extreme power and strength shedding a deep insight into Afghanistan life in its recent history. I have given away as many copies as I could find in charity shops to as many people as I could convince to read them, if you want a copy of either book - well go find one - you certainly won't regret it.
That aside, I discovered a recipe in both books and after research, that I have come to love and that I probably prepare on average once every fortnight or so in the winter. It is easy to prepare and it lasts a couple of meals and improves in flavour each day.
It is a lentil dish that is widely eaten across the globe but that can be adapted pretty much to your taste, your store cupboard and your budget. It could be a main meal, a starter or a side dish and it can be served with meat, fish or entirely on its own.
The main constituent is red split pea lentils, the rest is up to you.....
OK, I'll detail my recipe, but first it's helpful to wash lentils thoroughly whenever you cook with them. they get incredibly dusty and dirty as you will notice when you first rinse it through, the water is absolutely filthy!
Here's a simple version of what I normally do:
Put the washed lentils into a pan (50- 75 grams per person) with enough water to cover them easily and a teaspoonful of turmeric and boil until the lentils are softish. You may need to add more water and you WILL need to stir it often.
Fry off some onions in a pan with oil and butter. After a couple of minutes add some finely chopped/grated or crushed garlic and gently sweat for a couple more minutes.
Meanwhile in a blender/food processor put in some oil, chopped chili (as much as you want) chopped ginger, a teaspoon of each of the following: coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamon seeds (the inside), fenugreek seeds together with some herbs of your choice, I use coriander. Blitz well..
When the onion and garlic is translucent add the contents of the blender to the pan and stir in and fry off for a couple more minutes. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a little sugar and some salt and pepper.
Add the drained, cooked lentils to this and mix well. Cook for 30 - 45 minutes or until the mixture is creamy. Again keep checking that the dish doesn't need more water as the lentils will soak up the liquid. Near the end add one or two boiled eggs per person, stir in to warm through and serve with mango chutney, chopped bananas, apple and fresh tomatoes.
Now. You could also add a tin of coconut milk as well as or instead of the tin of chopped tomatoes. To make it quicker you can use a spoonful or two of an Indian paste of your choice from a jar instead of blitzing and frying off your own mix.We think the Dahl is great with boiled eggs, but it's also wonderful with home made Nan, chapattis or crusty loaf and of course rice.
It's such a great recipe that gathers taste and flavour as it matures, so if you can make enough for the next day, it is worth it.
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| A darker dahl....with mango chutney... |
