BAKED RED LENTIL DHAL

Serves 4-6.

You will need:

3 tablespoons sunflower oil 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger ½-1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 4 green cardamom pods, seeds extracted and crushed 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon tomato puree 250g (9oz) red lentils 700ml (1¼pts) vegetable stock 3 tablespoons chopped coriander Squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice for seasoning at the end

Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan or casserole pot over a low-medium heat, then add the finely chopped onion and the crushed or finely grated garlic, whichever you’re using. Season with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion and garlic are meltingly soft. As they cook, toast the coriander seeds and the cumin seeds. Put the coriander seeds and the cumin seeds in a frying pan on a high heat and cook, tossing them frequently, for about a minute or until they are slightly browned. They toast very quickly, so take care not to burn them. To grind them into a powder, use a pestle and mortar, a coffee grinder dedicated to the purpose, or put them in a plastic bag once they have cooled and use a rolling pin to crush them.

Add the ground cumin and the ground coriander to the garlic and onions in the pan, along with the black mustard seeds, the grated fresh ginger, the finely chopped chilli, the crushed cardamom seeds, the turmeric and a good twist of freshly ground black pepper. Cook for a minute, then add the tomato puree and the red lentils. Stir for a minute before adding the vegetable stock.

Bring the dhal to the boil, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cover the pot and bake the dhal in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the lentils are completely tender and have soaked up all the delicious liquid. Add the chopped fresh coriander and season to taste by adding a good squeeze of lemon juice or lime juice, whichever you are using.