Sri Lankan Dhal

This recipe is a go-to of mine. So easy, cheap and tastes like you've been slaving away for hours. On occasions, I have been known to get back from a night out and quickly whip this up! Its satisfying, comforting and so delicious, I'm almost reluctant to share it but with so many requests I thought it was time to pass it on.

The inspiration came from a last minute trip to Sri Lanka last November. The hotel we were staying in served this nearly everyday and I would pile my plate high each time. To me, Sri Lankan food is a lighter more fragrant flavour than Indian, almost a cross between Indian and South East Asian. Having never eaten Sri Lankan before I quickly became obsessed and had to try to recreate the infamous dhal. 

Although it looks like a lot of ingredients, these are all things that are used in my kitchen a lot; a good selection of spices are essential as they help to bring so much flavour to even the blandest of dishes.

For 4 people, you will need:

2 cups red split lentils, rinsed

3 cups water

1 veggie stock cube/ 1 heaped tsp bouillion

1 can coconut milk

1 onion, chopped

2 gloves garlic, chopped

1 red chilli, finely chopped/ tsp chilli flakes

Generous handful of chopped coriander

For the spice mix:

1 tsp tumeric

1tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp curry powder

Method:

Fry onion, chilli and garlic until soft, in ghee or oil, add the spice mix, cooking for a further minute. Add the water and stock followed by the lentils, and the liquid part of the coconut milk. Finely chop the coriander stalks and add to the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes. If it is looking dry, add in a bit more water. The lentils should have broken down but still have a bit of form to them. Once the lentils are nearly cooked add in the thick coconut cream and the majority of chopped coriander (save some to garnish). At this point I like to add a squeeze of lemon and some form of greenery as well (frozen peas/spinach). The final texture should be relatively thick- think porridge consistency but not be a complete mush. I then like to finish it off with toppings such as fresh herbs, a spoonful of natural yoghurt, pomegranate seeds or crispy onions.

For a light supper this is a meal in itself, but can also be bulked up with some brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower 'rice'.