Bursting with lentils, pulses, fresh vegetables and coconut milk or passata and spiced up with the addition of your choice of spice mixes. Delicious served as a thick soup or stew, over rice or noodles, tabbouli or cous cous or with some fresh bread to mop the juices.
Heat the oil in a cast iron casserole over a moderate heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until softened and slightly caramelised.
Add the crushed/chopped garlic and ginger, if using, and cook for a further minute until aromatic.
Stir in the spices and cook, stirring, until aromatic – around 20 - 30 seconds
Add the tomato paste and then add 375ml of the stock and the lentils. Stir well to mix.
Next add the drained beans/chick peas and the vegetables which take longer to cook.
If you are using passata, as opposed to coconut milk, you also add that now.
Bring to a simmer and cook, with the lid on, for 15 - 25 minutes or until the dried lentils are soft.
Add the coconut milk, if using, and the remaining vegetables, apart from the spinach but including kale, if using. Add more stock if necessary and cook with the lid off for a further 2 – 6 minutes until everything is cooked.
Stir in the spinach and cook for 1 - 2 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.
Finally stir in the fresh herbs and serve with your choice of serving options
Equipment:
Vegetables to add early in the cooking process:
Vegetables to add towards the end of the cooking process:
To serve: