Recipe Time! Red Lentil Dhal
Mmmmmm lentils! Now don't worry I won't bore you with all the adjectives that describe this dish or lentils themselves. I won't describe all the times in my childhood my grandmother cooked me lentils as a symbol of her love... Because well the answer is zero, since I grew up estranged from my dad and his family while my maternal grandma was a terrible cook. I personally hate having to scroll through a giant blog post just to get to the recipe so here is my brief personal history of lentils.
When I first moved out of home I was barely making enough money to eat. I would take a couple of dollars and go to the local fruit and veg shop and buy one zucchini and one brocolli, cook them with brown rice and soy sauce, then eat it for the whole week. Red lentil dhal was one of my favourite low cost meals because all you needed were spices and a cup of red lentils and it would make a delicious, comforting meal. Now I have the money for more than just lentils and spices so this is my ultimate red lentil dhal!
Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced
1 tin massaman curry paste ( I use Maesri brand, found in Asian grocers or some supermarkets)
1 Tbsp curry powder
4 fresh Thai lime leaves
1 cup dried red lentils
4 cups water
1 can diced tomatos
4 silverbeet leaves, chopped and separated into leaves and stalks
2 potatoes, chopped
coconut yoghurt, to serve
Handful fresh parsley, chopped, to serve
optional- rice to serve.
Method:
1. Saute onion on medium heat until see through then add curry paste, curry powder and Thai lime leaves.
2. Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
3. Add red lentils, water, tomatoes, silverbeet stalks and potato. Increase heat and bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.
4. Cook for around 40 mins or until potato and lentils are soft, stirring frequently to ensure lentils don't stick to bottom of pot.
5. Remove pot from heat and stir in silverbeet leaves, leaving for a couple of minutes before serving to allow silverbeet to wilt.
6. Serve with a generous dollop of coconut yoghurt and fresh chopped parsley, either alone or on a bed of rice.
