Chickpea & coconut dhal

You can cook dried chickpeas from scratch for this (if you do that, cook them until really soft) but dhal, for me, is a storecupboard meal, so I depend on cans and packets. Even with the spicing, dhals are subtly flavoured, but that’s as it should be, so you can enjoy the ‘tarka’, the buttery spice poured over at the end, and the chutneys and pickles served alongside.

SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 mins COOK 50 mins EASY V G

1½ tbsp ghee or groundnut oil

2 onions, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp nigella seeds

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp paprika

1 cinnamon stick

½ tsp chilli flakes

4 cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground

2 bay leaves

2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained

75g yellow split peas

400ml can coconut milk For the garnish

2 tbsp ghee, or unsalted butter

2 shallots, finely sliced

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

1 Heat the ghee or groundnut oil and fry the onion over a medium heat until it’s pale gold and soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of mins. Stir in all the spices and cook for another minute or so, then add all the remaining ingredients and 450ml water. Bring to just below boiling point, turn the heat down and simmer for about 40 mins until the split peas are soft. If you like your dhal thick in texture, mash the chickpeas to break them down. If the mixture is getting dry, add more water. If it’s too thin, keep cooking until you get the thickness you want. There is no ‘right’ consistency; dhal can be almost brothy or like a thick purée.

2 To serve, heat the ghee or butter in a pan and add the shallots. Fry until they’re golden, then add the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and chilli flakes. Cook until their aromas are released. Scatter coriander on top of the dhal, then pour over the spiced butter.

GOOD TO KNOW gluten free • 2 of 5-a-day • fibre

PER SERVING (6) 327 kcals • fat 18g • saturates 12g • carbs 25g • sugars 4g • fibre 7g • protein 11g • salt 0.1g