Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Red lentils’

Cauliflower, Lentil & Coconut Dahl

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 19 January 2025| Leave a Comment »

There is one person in our household of 3 who has decided to be a vegetarian for January. We’re not all joining in as there was far too much other stuff in the freezer but we’re trying to batch cook things like this to keep her going for the month and to avoid her living on koka noodles. This is a simple and lovely dahl. Serve with rice and naan or flatbreads. It is also suitable for those doing veganuary.

Wine Suggestion: We quite like an earthy dahl with a beer and chose a local brew, the Barrelhead Hopsburgh Helles, a creamy pale golden German style lager that’s lovely and smooth.

Cauliflower, lentil & coconut dahl – serves 4 to 6

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ to 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
  • 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 180g dried red lentils
  • 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
  • 400ml tomato passata
  • 600ml water
  • 75g baby spinach
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander
  • juice of 1 lemon

Melt the coconut oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop.

Add the onion with a large pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, then add the ground coriander, turmeric, cumin and chilli flakes and cook for another minute.

Add the cauliflower, lentils, coconut milk, tomato passata and water. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the lentils and cauliflower are cooked. Give it a stir occasionally to prevent it sticking.

Add the spinach, coriander and lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.

Serve with rice and daal or flatbreads.

(Original recipe from Avoca at Home, Penguin Random House, 2022.)

Read Full Post »

Lamb Rogan Josh with Fragrant Steamed Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Lamb, tagged , , , , , , , on 9 November 2024| Leave a Comment »

This has lovely flavours and best cooked a couple of days in advance. Make sure to cook the lamb until it is really soft and tender.

Wine Suggestion: this dish works great with Aussie Shiraz, like Kilikanoon’s excellent Killerman’s Run which has the obligatory pluminess over a very refined and fresh backbone with gentle pepper spices.

Lamb Rogan Josh – serves 4

  • 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 700g lamb neck, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tbsp of ground coriander
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 15g bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 200ml thick Greek yoghurt, plus extra to serve
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 100g red lentils
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • steamed rice, to serve
  • mango chutney, to serve
  • extra fresh coriander, to serve

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan. Add the lamb in batches and fry until well browned, then set aside.

Add another 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan, then fry the cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves for a few seconds. Add the onions and stir-fry for 6-7 minutes, until browned. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for 2 minutes, then add the ground spices with the fresh coriander and fry for another minute, stirring.

Add the yoghurt, 1 tbsp at a time, frying for about 30 seconds between each addition and stirring constantly.

Tip the lamb back into the pan and stir in the tomatoes with the lentils and stock. Season to taste, then cover and simmer gently for 2 hours or until very soft and tender. The sauce should have reduced and thickened.

Serve the lamb with steamed rice, mango chutney and some fresh coriander.

(Original recipe from Neven Maguire’s Comple Family Cookbook, Gill Books, 2016.)

Read Full Post »

Spiced Carrot Soup

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 13 May 2021| 1 Comment »

This is one of those recipes that we spotted in the paper and realised we had all the ingredients. It’s yummy – perfect for mid-week lunches.

Spiced carrot soup – serves 4

  • 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • a large pinch of chilli flakes
  • 750g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 litre hot vegetable stock
  • 100g red lentils
  • 2 bay leaves
  • fresh mint and parsley, to serve

Warm the olive oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not coloured.

Add the cumin, ground coriander and chilli flakes, then add the carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the hot stock to the saucepan, then add the lentils, a little salt and the bay leaves.

Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered with a lid, for 25-30 minutes or until the carrots and lentils are soft.

Whizz the soup in a blender or with a stick blender until you have a thick purée.

Season to taste and garnish with the fresh herbs.

(Original recipe by Nigel Slater in The Guardian, 25 Apr 2021)

Read Full Post »

Curried Lentil, Tomato & Coconut Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 18 January 2021| Leave a Comment »

This soup uses all store cupboard ingredients. You do need fresh coriander but we regularly have an almost full bag of this in the fridge and are happy to have this soup idea to use it up. We make soup almost every week in the winter months and this is definitely one of our favourites. The recipe is from Ottolenghi Simple where they suggest leaving it rough, which we did, but you can blend until smooth if you prefer.

Curried lentil, tomato & coconut soup – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp medium curry powder
  • ¼ tsp chilli flakes
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 4 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 150g red lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 25g coriander stalks, roughly chopped, plus 5g picked leaves to garnish
  • 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk

Put the oil into a large saucepan and put over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and caramelised.

Add the curry powder, chilli flakes, garlic and ginger and keep frying for another 2 minutes, stirring all the time.

Add the lentils, stir through for a minute, then add the tomatoes, coriander stalks, 600ml of water, 1 tsp of salt and a lots of black pepper.

Pour the coconut milk into a large bowl and whisk gently until smooth. Set aside 4 tbsp to garnish the bowls, then add the coconut milk to the soup. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft abut still holding their shape. Add a bit more water – 100-150ml – if the soup is too thick.

Divide the soup between warm bowls and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and some coriander leaves.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley and Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

Read Full Post »

Spiced Lentil Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 23 November 2018| Leave a Comment »

Spiced lentil soup

We have what you might call a well-stocked cupboard but the problem with bulging cupboards is that it’s easy to forget what’s in there. Every now and then we make a list and search for recipes to use things up which is how we came to make this soup – perfect for lunch on chilly days.

Spiced Lentil Soup – serves 4

  • a knob of ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • a pinch of chilli flakes
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots, grated
  • 150g red lentils
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • a squeeze of lime
  • coriander leaves, to serve

Heat a little oil in a large pan and fry the ginger, cumin seeds and chilli flakes for a couple of minutes.

Add the onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, then add the lentils and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the lentils are tender.

Blend until smooth or leave chunky, then stir through a squeeze of lime.

Serve with some fresh coriander leaves if you have them.

(Original recipe in Olive Magazine, November 2011.)

Read Full Post »

Red Lentil & Chorizo Soup

Posted in Food, Healthy, Soup, tagged , , , , , , on 13 June 2013| 2 Comments »

Surprisingly light and healthy despite the big, rich flavours.

Red Lentil & Chorizo Soup – to serve 6

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g cooking chorizo, peeled and diced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • pinch of cumin seeds
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra for sprinkling
  • pinch of golden caster sugar
  • small splash red wine vinegar
  • 250g red lentils
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomato
  • 850ml chicken stock
  • plain yogurt, to serve

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chorizo and cook until crispy and the oil has run. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside but leave the oil in the pan. Fry the onion, carrot and cumin seeds for about 10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Sprinkle in the the paprika and sugar, cook for a minute then add the vinegar. Simmer briefly, then add the lentils and pour over the tomatoes and chicken stock.

Stir well, then simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Blitz in a blender but you don’t want it completely smooth.

Serve drizzled with the yogurt, a little extra olive oil if you like, and a sprinkle of paprika.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »