Spiced Lentil Dhal with Pan-Fried Pollock
I'm loving lentils at the minute - quick to prepare, wonderful texture and filling without excess carbs... what's not to love??
This version of the Indian classic dhal uses a mixture of coconut milk and chopped tomatoes to create a rich and deeply flavourful base for the spices. I served this with pan-fried pollock (a more sustainable alternative to cod) but feel free to eat it on its own as a delicious vegetarian meal.
Spiced Lentil Dhal with Pan-Fried Pollock
Serves 4
oil
300g red lentils
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
A handful of parsley stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced
300ml coconut milk
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp of mustard seeds
1 red chilli, finely chopped
8 curry leaves (fresh is best or dried)
100g baby spinach leaves
juice of 2 lemons
4 pollock fillets
knob of butter (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the lentils into a heavy-based pan, with the ginger, the parsley stalks, the spring onions and a teaspoon of salt then pour over the coconut milk and 600ml of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, adding the tomatoes after 10 minutes.
After 30 minutes the lentils will have broken down and will be thick and creamy. Then whisk until the mixture becomes smooth. If it is to thick then you can add a little more water. Leave to simmer gently while you get the spice mixture ready.
Heat a good drizzle of oil in a small heavy-based frying pan. Add the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves. Leave them to temper. The oil should be bubbling and the seeds popping. This will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir straight into the lentils. Be careful, as the mixture may spit a little. Whisk until well combined and then stir in the baby spinach and the juice of 1 of the lemons. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Season the pollock fillets liberally on both sides then place in the pan. Cook without moving for 4 minutes, then flip over and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side. Squeeze over the juice of the remain lemon and add a knob of butter to the pan, if you like.
Ladle the dahl into bowls, then place a fillet of fish on top and serve.
This version of the Indian classic dhal uses a mixture of coconut milk and chopped tomatoes to create a rich and deeply flavourful base for the spices. I served this with pan-fried pollock (a more sustainable alternative to cod) but feel free to eat it on its own as a delicious vegetarian meal.
Spiced Lentil Dhal with Pan-Fried Pollock
Serves 4oil
300g red lentils
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
A handful of parsley stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced
300ml coconut milk
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp of mustard seeds
1 red chilli, finely chopped
8 curry leaves (fresh is best or dried)
100g baby spinach leaves
juice of 2 lemons
4 pollock fillets
knob of butter (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the lentils into a heavy-based pan, with the ginger, the parsley stalks, the spring onions and a teaspoon of salt then pour over the coconut milk and 600ml of water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, adding the tomatoes after 10 minutes.
After 30 minutes the lentils will have broken down and will be thick and creamy. Then whisk until the mixture becomes smooth. If it is to thick then you can add a little more water. Leave to simmer gently while you get the spice mixture ready.
Heat a good drizzle of oil in a small heavy-based frying pan. Add the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves. Leave them to temper. The oil should be bubbling and the seeds popping. This will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir straight into the lentils. Be careful, as the mixture may spit a little. Whisk until well combined and then stir in the baby spinach and the juice of 1 of the lemons. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Season the pollock fillets liberally on both sides then place in the pan. Cook without moving for 4 minutes, then flip over and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side. Squeeze over the juice of the remain lemon and add a knob of butter to the pan, if you like.
Ladle the dahl into bowls, then place a fillet of fish on top and serve.
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