Lentil Dhal with Sweet Potato and Spinach
Ingredients:
2 large spanish onions6 garlic cloves
2 red chillies
1 thumb sized 50-70g piece of ginger root
150ml donegal rapeseed oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
8-10 whole cardamom seeds
8 tsp ground cumin
12 tsp ground corriander
1kg chad dahl or yellow split peas
1 reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable stock cube
600g sweet potato
600g spinach, fresh or frozen
A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Instructions
nstructions
- Finely chop the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies.
- Heat the oil in a heavy-based, large saucepan. Add in the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add in the finely-chopped onion, garlic, ginger and chillies.
- The secret to making a good dahl is to cook the onion mix out well. This takes at least 20-30 minutes on a medium heat, stirring regularly.
- Add in the spices and stock to this and cook out for a further 5 minutes.
- In a colander, wash the split peas thoroughly under cold water and leave to drain.
- Add your tomato puree to the onion and spice mix. Cook out for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the split peas and stir in.
- Cover the mix with cold water and bring to simmer. You may have to add more water throughout the cooking, which should take 30-40 minutes.
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2-3cm cubes. When the split peas are almost cooked through, add in the sweet potato and a little more water.
- When the sweet potato is cooked through, add in the spinach, bring back to a simmer, and then serve with basmati rice. You can serve with mango chutney and or natural low-fat yoghurt and a large sprinkle of fresh coriander.