- A bag of red lentils
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- A thumb of ginger
- A thumb of turmeric
- 1 chilli
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- A sachet of curry leaves
- 2 tbsp coconut milk
- ½ a green cabbage
- 2 parsnips
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 600ml hot water
- Bowl
- Deep frying pan or wok
- Measuring jug
- Colander or sieve
- Food processor or grater
- 1.
Tip the lentils into a bowl. Pour in enough cold water to cover them. Leave to soak for 15 mins. Fill a kettle and boil it.
- 2.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and grate the garlic, ginger and turmeric (grate them onto a plate to stop the turmeric staining your work surface or chopping board).
- 3.
Warm 1 tsp olive oil in a deep frying pan or wok. Add the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Fry over a medium heat for 5 mins till the onion is soft and pale golden. Stir every so often. Add a splash of water if it looks like the onion is sticking.
- 4.
Finely slice the chilli – flick out the seeds and white bits for a milder flavour. Grate or pare the zest from the lemon. Juice it. Stir the garlic, ginger, turmeric, chilli and lemon zest into the onion. Cook and stir for 1 min.
- 5.
Measure out 1 tsp of the cumin and add to the pan with the curry leaves. Drain the lentils. Stir them into the pan. Pour in 600ml hot water from the kettle. Add 2 tbsp of the coconut milk. Cover. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat down. Simmer for 20-25 mins till thick. Stir every so often.
- 6.
Halve the cabbage. Finely shred one half, slicing out the thick core. Rinse it. Peel the parsnips. Roughly chop them. Pop the parsnips into a food processor. Pulse a few times to make fine ‘grains’. If you don’t have a processor, use a grater.
- 7.
When the lentils are thick, stir in the cabbage. Cook, without the lid, for 5 mins till the cabbage is tender but not too soft. If the lentils seem a bit dry, add a splash more water. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- 8.
While the cabbage cooks, pop the parsnip rice in a heatproof bowl. Cover with hot water from the kettle. Leave for 5 mins. Drain in a sieve. Press to squeeze out any excess water. Serve with the Sri Lankan lentils.