You can make this dahl really quickly by cooking the lentils and spices separately, then combining them at the last minute. It’s a fantastic side dish but also flavourful enough to be the main element of your family meal, and is a great dish to start weaning with curry flavours.
Serves: Two adults and two children | Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
200g (1 cup) dried red split lentils
2 low-salt chicken or vegetable stock cubes
2 tbsp garlic-infused oil 2 tsp ground turmeric
3 tsp mild curry powder
2 tsp garam masala (a mild blend)
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (optional)
1 x 500g (1lb 2oz) passata (strained tomatoes)
2 tsp golden granulated sugar (optional)
Coriander (cilantro), to garnish
Method
- Fill the kettle and put it on to boil. Set a large saucepan over a high heat with a touch of tap water at the bottom – it should begin boiling quickly. Meanwhile, open the passata so it is ready to pour when you need it later.
- Add the lentils to a fine-mesh sieve and hold under very, very hot running tap water for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon (if you don’t have asbestos fingers). You want to wash away the starch until the water runs clear, plus the application of hot water now will make the entire cooking process quicker.
- Once washed, add the lentils to the now very hot saucepan. Top up the pan with boiling water from the kettle to cover the lentils by about 2.5cm (1in). Crumble in one of the stock cubes, stir and allow to bubble for 6–7 minutes until the lentils are soft.
- When the lentils are nearly ready, set a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the garlic oil, followed by the spices, garlic and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon to ensure they don’t burn, then as the aromas are released, quickly pour in the passata. It will bubble, so give it a swift stir to incorporate the spiced oil into the tomatoes. Crumble the remaining stock cube into the tomatoes and add the sugar, if using, to help cut through the acidity of the tomatoes, and stir to dissolve.
- The lentils should be cooked by now. Use a spoon to scoop a few out to taste – they should be soft with no crunchy graininess. Drain the lentils in a sieve, then immediately add them to the frying pan with the passata mix. Stir together and cook for 1 final minute. Garnish with a sprinkle of freshly chopped coriander and serve with rice or flatbreads, if you like.
Dahl recipe from Fast Family Food by Rebecca Wilson is published by DK, out now, rrp £18.99
