Red Lentil & Coconut Dal with Spiced Potatoes

Rich, thick and creamy, my Red Lentil & Coconut Dal is the ultimate bowl of comfort food when paired with my Spiced Potatoes on the side and topped with cool, coconut yoghurt and fresh, fragrant coriander.

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SERVES:      4 PEOPLE     |      PREP TIME:      15 MINUTES    |    COOK TIME:      60 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE RED LENTIL & COCONUT DAL
2 tbsp ground nut oil
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp garlic puree
1 green chilli

1 cup red lentils

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 pint vegetable stock

Handful fresh coriander 

FOR THE SPICED POTATOES

4-6 small medium potatoes 

2 tbsp goil

2 shallots 

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp salt

Coriander

METHOD

1. For the dal, heat the ground nut oil in a pan on a medium heat, add in the garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, ground ginger then mix those through the oil and toast them until they smell beautifully fragrant.

2. Next, add in garlic puree, then deseed and finely mince the green chill, add that in too along with a good pinch of sea salt and fry those off for a minute.

3. Rinse the red lentils well for a couple of minutes in a sieve under running water in a seive until the water runs clear. Shake to drain off the excess water then add those to the pan as well and stir through the spices.

4. Add in the tinned tomatoes and rinse the can with a little water to get all of the juice and pour it in. If using plum tomatoes, break them up with the back of the spoon to make it nice and smooth. Next i poured in  a pint of vegetable stock, and then i added in a can of full fat coconut milk, another good pinch of salt then gave it a good stir through. Leave on a low heat uncovered to cook for around an hour.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and while the Dal is cooking, make the Spiced Potatoes by peeling and roughly quartering the potatoes. Bring a large pan of water to a boil, add a good pinch of sea salt then add in the potatoes and allow them boil for around 5 minutes. Drain off the water and give them a good shake in the pan with the lid on to rough up the edges and then tip them out into a large baking dish. Back in the pan, add theground nut oil then the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds, and just toast those off on a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add in the paprika, turmeric and a good pinch of salt, then stir those through. Tip the boiled potatoes back into the pan, crack in some black pepper, give them a good shake to get them coated in the toasted spices, then place them back in the baking dish and in the oven to roast for around 30 minutes until golden and crispy

6. Once done, remove the potatoes from the oven and scatter over some chopped coriander.

7. After one hour, the Dal should be looking thick and creamy. Season to taste one last time and give it a final stir, then serve with some basmati rice, the Spiced Potatoes, coconut yoghurt, some chilli flakes and more fresh. coriander.