Red Lentil Dhal with Carrot and Coriander
I ended up at Kin Yip Hon in Bristol the other day on my lunch break. I love it, its like stepping into a neighbourhood shop in Shanghai, Theres loads of really interesting things that I want to try, most of which I haven't got a clue how to use.
I always end up coming out having spent far too much money. I wanted some kalonji (nigella seeds) and some coriander. Inevitably I got suckered into buying dried mushrooms, chillis, chilli sauce, mustard seeds, ginger, a gallon of vinegar, big bag of sesame seeds, pickled chillis and something marked up as green radish. God knows, they looked like those massive chillis you get at the kebab shop. I had seen a recipe online using nigella seeds and wanted to try them out.
Of course when I came to try the recipe I couldn't find it anywhere so I made this one up and it turned out quite well, so I thought I'd post it.
1 Cup of red lentils
2 medium onions
2 carrots
2 cloves of garlic
3 chesnut mushrooms
1 leek
2 tomatoes
Bunch of fresh coriander
1/2 inch fresh ginger
2 Green chillis
2 Bay leaves
2 cloves
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp kalonji (nigella or black onion seeds)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
Splash of sherry
Coconut oil (or whatever you like to use)
Cover the lentils with about half an inch of water, simmer with the turmeric until they are tender and well cooked.
Chop the carrots into large chunks and slice the leek. Steam the carrots and leeks (remove the leeks before the carrot) until they are only just cooked and add them to the lentils. Add a splash of sherry. If they start getting too thick then add a bit more water.
Finely chop the garlic, ginger and the chillis.
Heat a heavy based pan and add the cumin, fenugreek, kalonji, mustard seeds, cloves, bay leaves and fry them until they start popping and you can smell the oils being released. While they are frying add the oil to a pan and heat it on a medium heat. Add the roasted fry spices and fry for a few seconds.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry until the raw smell of the garlic and chilli has dissipated. Add the onions and fry. Whilst the onions are frying chop the tomatoes and when the onions are tender add the tomatoes and cook on a low to medium heat.
Whilst the onion and tomato are cooking chop the mushrooms into chunks and add to the lentils. When the onion and tomato mixture is starting to leave the side of the pan (this will take quite a long time) add the lentils. Mix thoroughly and cook until the dhal is of a medium consistency.
Chop the coriander and add to the mixture.
Serve with basmati rice and naan bread.
I always end up coming out having spent far too much money. I wanted some kalonji (nigella seeds) and some coriander. Inevitably I got suckered into buying dried mushrooms, chillis, chilli sauce, mustard seeds, ginger, a gallon of vinegar, big bag of sesame seeds, pickled chillis and something marked up as green radish. God knows, they looked like those massive chillis you get at the kebab shop. I had seen a recipe online using nigella seeds and wanted to try them out.
Of course when I came to try the recipe I couldn't find it anywhere so I made this one up and it turned out quite well, so I thought I'd post it.
1 Cup of red lentils
2 medium onions
2 carrots
2 cloves of garlic
3 chesnut mushrooms
1 leek
2 tomatoes
Bunch of fresh coriander
1/2 inch fresh ginger
2 Green chillis
2 Bay leaves
2 cloves
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp kalonji (nigella or black onion seeds)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
Splash of sherry
Coconut oil (or whatever you like to use)
Cover the lentils with about half an inch of water, simmer with the turmeric until they are tender and well cooked.
Chop the carrots into large chunks and slice the leek. Steam the carrots and leeks (remove the leeks before the carrot) until they are only just cooked and add them to the lentils. Add a splash of sherry. If they start getting too thick then add a bit more water.
Finely chop the garlic, ginger and the chillis.
Heat a heavy based pan and add the cumin, fenugreek, kalonji, mustard seeds, cloves, bay leaves and fry them until they start popping and you can smell the oils being released. While they are frying add the oil to a pan and heat it on a medium heat. Add the roasted fry spices and fry for a few seconds.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry until the raw smell of the garlic and chilli has dissipated. Add the onions and fry. Whilst the onions are frying chop the tomatoes and when the onions are tender add the tomatoes and cook on a low to medium heat.
Whilst the onion and tomato are cooking chop the mushrooms into chunks and add to the lentils. When the onion and tomato mixture is starting to leave the side of the pan (this will take quite a long time) add the lentils. Mix thoroughly and cook until the dhal is of a medium consistency.
Chop the coriander and add to the mixture.
Serve with basmati rice and naan bread.
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