Red Lentil Dhal

Red Lentil Dhal

This is a very simple dahl recipe that’s cheap and doesn’t take long to cook. The garam masala adds a delicious sweet taste to the red lentils. Dahl is a great accompaniment to most curries but can be eaten as a main too.

Serves: 2 as a main, 4 as a side

250g red lentils

1tsp turmeric

1 onion, grated

2 garlic cloves, grated

1cm ginger, grated

1tsp chilli flakes

1tsp garam masala

Groundnut oil

Put the lentils and turmeric in a pan and add water to cover with about an inch of water. Season and simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender. The lentils soak up the water quite quickly so keep an eye on them and add more water if necessary.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan and cook the onion, garlic and chilli for a few minutes. Add the garam masala, and cook for a minute.

Stir the onion mix into the cooked lentils.

Serve with lemon rice and raita.

Aubergine, Pea and Potato Curry with Butter beans or Lamb

Aubergine, Pea and Potato Curry

After a long and exhausting day moving house and driving all over the place, my friend Bert offered this soul-saving, heart-warming dish. It was so delicious and just what we needed; I immediately asked for the recipe.

The best curry is always cooked in advance so that the spices mingle with the food and the flavour is full. This is a mild curry, add more chili if you like it hot.

Serves: 2 Vegetarians, 2 Meat-eaters

4 tbsp sunflower oil or knob of ghee (clarified butter)
4 potatoes, cubed
1 small aubergine, cubed
1 handful peas
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp fennel
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
1 bay leaf

Sea salt

V: 200g pre-cooked butterbeans

M: 200g shoulder of lamb, cubed


Fry the spices in the oil until the mustard seeds start to sputter.
Add the cubes of potato and aubergine and fry for just a few minutes. Divide between two pans.

M: Meanwhile stir-fry the lamb for a few minutes until it browns all over. Add the lamb to one of the pans and just cover with water. Stir in half the sugar and season with salt. Simmer until the lamb is soft and tender (around an hour). Add half the peas for five minutes at the end.

V: Add the butter beans to the other pan. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables and simmer until the vegetables are soft and tender. Add the remaining peas for five minutes at the end.

Serve with chapatti, yoghurt and homemade chutney.

Vanessa's Yummy Fish Korma

Happy Eating

Last night the tables finally turned and I was invited to my very good friend and ex-housemate Vanessa's house for dinner. I refused to help out (although I was pushed into making the rice) and enjoyed poppadoms with mango chutney to start and a tasty Fish Korma with naan bread and rice for the main. I can't tell you how she made the fish korma (perhaps Vanessa will share with us??) but there was definitely a mix of haddock, cod and mackerel fillets in there and it was delicious.

Poppadoms and Mango Chutney

Vanessa's Fish Korma

Yummy Fish Korma

Naan Selection

For being such a good dog, special guest little Sally was given a fishy treat too...

Sally Dog