Spiced Courgette & Lentil Dal Recipe

Spiced Courgette & Lentil Dal

Sorrel Scott

40 mins

4 people

Ingredients

300g dried red lentils
2 onions
A thumb of ginger
3 garlic cloves
1 chilli
3 courgettes
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 vegetable stock cube
200g baby leaf spinach
1 lemon
A handful of coriander

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 25 mins

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Method

1. Tip the lentils into a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside to soak. Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and grate the ginger and garlic. Halve the chilli, flicking out the seeds and white pith for less heat. Finely slice the chilli. Fill and boil your kettle.

2. Heat a large pan and drizzle in 1 tbsp oil. Add the chopped onions with a pinch of salt. Fry for 10 mins, stirring often, till the onions are glossy and lightly golden.

3. While the onions cook, coarsely grate the courgettes. Put the grated courgettes in a colander and give them a squeeze to drain off some of the liquid. Drain and rinse the lentils.

4. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli, curry powder and coriander seeds to the pan. Cook for 2 mins, stirring, till the pan smells aromatic. Tip in the lentils and stir well.

5. Crumble the vegetable stock cube into the pan. Pour in 1 ltr hot water from the kettle. Pop a lid on the pan and simmer for 10 mins, stirring now and then.

6. When the lentils have cooked for 10 mins, add the grated courgettes. Pour in 200ml more hot water. Pop the lid back on and cook for a further 10 mins till the lentils are tender and thick. Stir through the spinach till wilted.

7. Grate in the zest from the lemon and squeeze in the juice from half. Taste the dal and add a pinch more salt and pepper or a squeeze of lemon juice, if you think it needs it.

8. Ladle the dal into warm bowls. Scatter over the coriander leaves and serve.