Lemon and Coconut Dhal

 

                    A warm and spicy dish with tangy lemon and coconut flavours, this can be served as a dip with warmed pita bread or as an accompaniment to cold meat.

Serves 8

• 5 cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 small red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
• 30 ml sunflower oil
• 5 ml cumin seeds, plus extra to garnish
• 150 gr red lentils
• 250 ml water
• 15 ml hot curry paste
• 200 ml coconut cream
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 25 gr sliced almonds
• Salt and ground black pepper

1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large, shallow pan ; add the ginger, onion, garlic, chillies and cumin.
2. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened but not colored.
3. Stir in the lentils, water and curry paste into the pan ; bring to the boil, cover and cook gently over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender and not yet broken up.
4. Stir in all but 30 ml of the coconut cream ; bring to the boil and cook, uncovered, for a further 15-20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and pulpy.
5. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice ; season to taste.
6. Heat a large frying pan and cook the sliced almonds for one or two minutes on each side until golden brown ; stir about three-quarters of toasted almonds into the dhal.
7. Transfer the dhal to a serving bowl ; swirl in the remaining coconut cream and scatter the reserved almonds on top with the cumin seeds.
8. Serve warm.

BON APPÉTIT