Lin’s Low Fat Dhal (Indian Lentils)
This is one of my favourite light, healthy dishes, so versatile in what you eat it with – rice, chappatis, parathas, naan, tortillas, mash or George’s favourite, chips! Of course, George would eat chips with mash!
This is very quick and easy to put together. I make mine medium runny, almost like a soup & love to eat it with plain, boiled rice with just a salad on the side. Or try it with my Low Fat Chicken Biryani. Super healthy. It’s so tasty, with the tomatoes and tamarind (easily available at ALL supermarkets), adding a zing. No tamarind? Skip it! Just add an extra tomato. You can add whatever vegetables you like to it, carrots, aubergines, okra, potatoes, spinach, etc.
Low Fat Dhal
Ingredients (serves 4)
150g red split lentils (no soaking required)
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic (2 tsp ready paste)
5cm long fresh ginger (I like lots of ginger, or 2-3 tsp ready paste)
half a teaspoon turmeric
quarter tsp chilli powder (adjust to suit your heat level)
quarter teaspoon black mustard seeds – optional
quarter tsp fenugreek seeds – optional
quarter tsp cumin seeds -optional
4 medium potatoes, quartered (I like mine with skin on), leave out for a lighter, version
2 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 medium sized aubergine, sliced lengthways, then halved
handful of spinach
4 sprigs of curry leaves or handful of fresh coriander leaves – major supermarkets sell these dried
600-700 mls water, depending how runny you like it.
Change the veg or add more as you please.
Method
1. The idea with this is, I add everything apart from the spinach and tomatoes in at the same time and bring it to boil with no added oil.
2. Simmer for about 20-3- minutes. Red lentils cook very quickly, if you want the lentils to still be whole, cook for just about 15-20 minutes, after that they start falling apart, the way my kids like this dish. If using curry leaves, add them a couple of minutes before end of cooking.
3. Season to taste with salt, turn off heat and serve sprinkled with the fresh herbs.
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