- A bag of brown basmati rice
- 1 red onion
- A punnet of chestnut mushrooms
- 1 garlic clove
- A thumb of ginger
- 1 chilli
- A bag of red lentils
- 1 tsp turmeric
- A bag of kale
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 750ml hot water
- Sea salt
- A splash or two of olive oil
- Freshly ground pepper
- Small plan with a lid
- Measuring jug
- Large pan with a lid
- Sieve
- Frying pan
- 1.
Fill the kettle and boil it. Tip the rice into a small pan. Pour in 300ml hot water from the kettle. Add a pinch of salt. Cover, bring to the boil. Turn the heat right down. Simmer for 25 mins. Take off the heat. Steam, lid on, for 5 mins till the rice is cooked.
- 2.
Peel and chop the onion. Rinse and the mushrooms. Slice them. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger. Rinse and halve the chilli. Flick out the seeds and white bits for a milder flavour. Finely chop it.
- 3.
Warm a splash of oil in a large pan. Add the onion. Cook and stir over a low heat for 6-8 mins till softened and glossy. Rinse the lentils in a sieve.
- 4.
Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and 1 tsp of the turmeric to the onion. Cook for 1-2 mins till fragrant. Stir every now and then.
- 5.
Tip the lentils into the pan. Add 450ml hot water from the kettle plus a pinch of salt. Cover and simmer for 15 mins till the lentils have softened and broken down.
- 6.
Warm a splash of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms. Fry for 5-8 mins till they are golden brown. Stir every so often. Season with salt and pepper.
- 7.
Rinse the kale. Shred the leaves, throwing away the thick middle cores. Stir the kale into the daal. Cook for 2-3 mins till wilted. Juice the lemon.
- 8.
Stir the lemon juice and 1 tbsp of the caster sugar into the daal for a sweet-sour flavour. Check the seasoning. Adjust if you think it needs it. Serve the daal with the rice, topped with the mushrooms.