Sweet Potato, Coconut and Tomato Dahl

Serves 4, generously

Download recipe

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, enough to cover the base of the pan

1 onion, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed

2-3cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1-2 red chillies, (depending on how spicy you like it), finely chopped

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

3-4 curry leaves

1 heaped tablespoon good quality mild curry powder

1 heaped teaspoon turmeric

3 carrots, diced

100g red lentils, rinsed

8 new potatoes, roughly diced

1 sweet potato, roughly diced

150g spinach

2 heaped tablespoons good quality mango chutney

1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

1 x 400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 heaped tablespoon tomato puree

small bunch fresh coriander, chopped

pinch of sea salt

few grinds of black pepper

Method

Leave the lid on at each stage when you are cooking this dish, the steam helps the vegetables cook nicely and more efficiently.

Put the sunflower oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on a gentle heat and add the onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, mustard seeds, bay and curry leaves, followed by the salt and pepper. Stir and let cook until soft but not browned. This takes about 10 minutes. If the onions start to stick, turn down the heat and add a splash of water.

Add the curry powder and turmeric to the pan with a splash of water. Mix together and stir for a couple of minutes to create a paste.

Put the carrots and lentils into the pan and mix everything together. Add cold water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.

Now add the new potatoes and sweet potatoes and continue to cook until the lentils and potatoes are soft. This takes about 20 minutes but cooking times can vary so keep a close eye on the pan and taste as you go. If necessary, add more water to keep the potatoes covered. Stir occasionally.

Add the spinach, stir and simmer for about five minutes. Now stir the mango chutney, coconut milk and kidney beans into the pan followed by the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Leave to simmer with the lid off for a few minutes.

Stir the passata and tomato puree into the vegetable pan. Leave to simmer with the lid off and once the sauce feels satisfyingly rich, take off the heat and stir in the flat leaf parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

When the sauce feels satisfyingly rich, take off the heat, remove the bay and curry leaves and stir through the coriander. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.