Spinach and Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 100g red lentils
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- Pinch asafoetida (optional)
- 1 tbsp garlic finely grated
- 1/2 tbsp ginger finely grated
- 1 green chilli sliced
- 2 dried Kashmiri chillies torn into 3 pieces
- 100g fresh tomato diced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 750ml chicken stock
- 125g spinach rough chopped
- Salt to taste
Tadka
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried Kashmiri red chillies torn into 3 pieces
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- Pinch salt
Preparation
Add the butter to a pan on a medium high heat, stir in the cumin seeds and fry for a couple of minutes then stir in the onions and green chillies and sauté for 6/7 mins until the onions are turning translucent. Turn the heat up to medium high and stir in the ginger and garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes then add the chopped tomato. Cook off the tomato for another 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly to help break the tomato down. When you have quite a mashed up mixture, stir in the turmeric, Kashmiri chilli and asafoetida and stir continuously for a couple of minutes.
Add the lentils and stir in the stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes or so. Uncover and simmer for another fifteen minutes, stirring regularly to break up the lentils. Stir in the chopped spinach and cover and simmer on a medium heat for 5 mins.
While the spinach is cooking make the tadka. In a separate small pan, heat the oil on a medium high heat, add the pinch of salt, mustard and cumin seeds, and the torn Kashmiri chillies. Fry until the mustard seeds start popping, then add the Kashmiri chilli powder, let it sizzle for 10 seconds and remove from the heat.
Season the dal with salt to taste, then carefully pour the tadka over the top.
Tips
To make it vegan, substitute butter with vegetable oil and chicken stock with vegetable stock.
