Tuesday Tasties No.3

It’s hard to believe that another week has flown past already but it is indeed that time again.

This week I've got a budget-busting vegetarian dish which is incredibly filling and bursting with flavour.  I prefer to save this recipe for the weekend as it takes a little while to cook, but the result is worth it.  Panic not; it’s a piece of cake to put together.

Tarka Dal

A lot of this recipe is to taste, i.e. add more chilli heat if you want a kick and de-seed the chilli if you want something more mellow.  This recipe is packed full of protein and has a wonderfully creamy texture once it’s finished.

• 250g of red split lentils (you can use yellow, but the red ones cook quicker)
• 1 litre of water
• Vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp of cumin seeds
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 2 chillies, chopped make sure you keep the seeds in if you want a bit of a kick
• 1 tablespoon of minced ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon of masala spice mix (or any curry powder you fancy)
• 1 tablespoon of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Coriander leaves, chopped

Pop the lentils and 900ml of the water into a pan and bring to the boil.  Be sure to skim off the froth which forms on the service.  Cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook for around 30 minutes, stirring regularly until the lentils are tender.  A handy tip here is to stir with a whisk as it helps to break down the lentils giving you a thicker, creamier texture.  Set the lentils aside to cool.

Heat around a tablespoon of vegetable oil in another pan, add the chillies, cumin, ginger, and onions and cook until softened.

Add the remainder of the ground spices with the rest of the water and give it a good stir.

Meanwhile, blend up the garlic and tomatoes with a little of chopped coriander and add this to the pan along with a splash of water.  Again, make sure you give it a good stir so it’s all combined.  You want to cook this for at least 10 minutes.

Next, it’s time to bring everything together.  Add the cooked lentil mixture to your sauce, adding a little more water if it’s looking too thick.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Now it’s time to serve, I had mine with some garlic and coriander naan breads, but it’s more than enough on its own.  Top with some more fresh coriander if you’d like.

So what are you waiting for?  Hopefully this recipe will show you that vegetarian meals can be packed full of flavour and that great food doesn't have to break the bank.  Give it a go and let me know how you get on!