Sweetcorn, Kale & Red Lentil Dal

Total: 1 hr

This creamy, comforting dal gets a hearty seasonal spin from nutty kernels of early autumn sweetcorn and leafy kale, simmered with tender red lentils in a fragrantly spiced tomato and veggie stock.

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430 kcal
(per portion)

Ingredients you'll need

3 onions
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp dal spice blend
400g chopped tomatoes
500g dried red lentils
1 vegetable stock cube
4 corn on the cobs
200g kale

From your kitchen

2 tbsp olive, sunflower or coconut oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1.25 ltrs boiling water

You'll need

Large pan with lid
Measuring jug

Step by step this way

1.
Fill and boil your kettle. Peel the onions and finely chop them. Peel and finely chop the garlic . Pour 2 tbsp oil into a large pan and warm to a medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 6-8 mins, stirring often, till softened.
2.
Add 1 tbsp dal spice blend and the garlic to the pan and cook for 2 mins, stirring occasionally. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and dried red lentils. Crumble in the stock cube. Add 1.25 ltrs boiling water and stir. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid, turn the heat down and simmer for 30 mins, stirring now and then till the lentils are tender.
3.
Meanwhile, pull the leaves and silks off the corn cobs. Lay the cobs on a chopping board and carefully run a knife along the length, rotating as you go, to slice off the corn kernels. Strip the kale leaves off their cores and shred the leaves.
4.
When the dal has cooked for 30 mins, add the corn and kale to the pan and stir. Cook for 8-10 mins, lid off the pan, till the corn is tender. Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if needed. Ladle the dal into bowls and serve.

Tip
Saving some for later?
The dal can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Divide it into containers, cool completely, seal and store. If freezing, defrost the dal overnight before reheating. It can be warmed in a microwave till piping hot, or tipped into a pan on a medium heat and reheated with a splash of stock or water till piping hot all the way through.
Tip
Make it extra dal-iciousl
This one pot makes a hearty meal for 6 on its own, but you can take it up a notch with a few extras. Try topping it with crisp-fried slivers of shallot and dollops of dairy-free yogurt (stir the yogurt with grated cucumber, fresh mint and a pinch of cumin for extra oomph). You can also make the dal go further by serving it with a dish of fluffy basmati rice or a plate of warm flatbreads on the side.

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