Red Lentil Dahl

This is a weekly go to recipe for me in my house hold. Usually it makes enough for 4-5 servings, so we cook a big batch and freeze half for the following week to cut down our time in the kitchen on those busy week nights.

Ingredients;

• 1 onion, diced

• 2-3 medium garlic cloves diced

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 2 teaspoons of garram masala

• 1 heaped teaspoon of turmeric

• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional: spicy)

• 1 small packet of red lentils (350-400g)

• 1 coriander bunch chopped finely- including the stalks!

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes

• 2 cups of vegetable stock + 1 cup plain water

• 2 tablespoons of ghee, butter or coconut oil

• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

• Any additional vegetables (this is not traditional but I always love more veggies in my meals!)- broccoli, potato, zucchini, mushroom etc.

• To serve; rice, yoghurt, coriander, fresh chilli, salt and pepper, or even toasted nuts/seed (pictured is toasted pumpkin seeds)

Method:

1. Prepare all vegetables being used, rinse red lentil in a mesh strainer, mix all spices in a small bowl.

2. Melt ghee in a large pot or dutch oven/casserole pot, add onion once hot and fry off till tender and starting to brown.

3. Add in garlic and stir for 30 seconds till fragrant, then add in the dry spices and stir till fragrant (30 seconds more)

4. Add in the lentils and quickly stir to coat before adding in the tomatoes, stock and water.

5. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to simmer. Add in any other vegetables at this point and stir to combine.

6. Simmering will take about 25-30minutes for lentils become nice and tender- you will need to stir every 5 minutes to avoid burning at the bottom as lentils will settle at the base. If it is becoming to thick but the lentils aren’t soft enough yet, add in another 1/2 cup of water for the lentils to absorb.

7. Cook rice in the mean time.

8. Once it is at a nice consistency take it off the heat, stir in the coriander stems and half the leaves (leaving some to top dishes with), as well as the greek yoghurt. Stir until the yoghurt has fully blended in to the mix.

9. Serve with rice, fresh salad leaves, coriander, salt and pepper and a little extra yoghurt

Hope you love this one as much as I do for your plant based dinner nights! This dish has amazing anti-inflammatory benefit with the turmeric and the fibre boost from the lentils- reaping all the benefits without compromising on flavour!!

Enjoy,

Fuelled Naturally By Lans