Name: Red lentil dal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side
Ingredients: Vegetable oil to fry; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 20g ginger, grated; 1 green chilli, finely sliced; ¼ tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp garam masala; ½ tsp fine sea salt; 300g dried red lentils; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 400g tin full-fat coconut milk; 3 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 green chilli, finely sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced; Coriander leaves to serve

Red lentil dal

‘Passive’ cooking is a method that makes the most of residual heat, cooking dishes with an initial blast of heat and then finishing them off with the residual temperature as it eventually cools to eating temperature. This dal, enriched with coconut and tomatoes, is thick and immensely satisfying – and a great introduction to the energy-saving technique. You might also like our coconut dhal with chapatis.

Dairy-freeGluten-freeVegan

Serves4 as a main, 6 as a side

Hands-on15 min. Simmering time 10 min

Oven10 min

DifficultyEasy

Method

Heat a dash of oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, then cook for a further minute.
Stir in the spices and salt, cook for another minute, then add the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and 250ml water. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes, then (without lifting the lid) remove from the heat and leave to finish cooking in the residual heat for another 10 minutes.
Once the dal is cooked, prepare the tadka. Heat the oil in a small saucepan until shimmering hot, then add the cumin seeds, chilli and garlic. Sizzle for a few minutes until the garlic is just beginning to turn pale golden, then divide the dal among serving bowls and pour the tadka over it. Finish with coriander leaves.