Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Dahl

Exactly the kind of comforting autumn food I love. It's warming, full of flavour and adds a burst of colour to the day. This is a great dish to make if you need a bit of a protein boost, as the lentils and in particular, the quinoa, is an excellent source of plant based protein. If you sprinkle chia seeds of top you get even more of a protein boost.

serves 4

What you need

For the Dahl

1 cup of red lentils, soaked overnight

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 litre of vegetable stock

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 large yellow onion

2 bulbs garlic, finely grated

large knob of fresh ginger, finely grated

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes

2 teaspoons turmeric powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

salt and pepper to taste

For the quinoa

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

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What to do

for the Dahl

Cook the onions and ginger in the coconut oil for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently until soft.

Add the spices, lentils, sweet potato, tomatoes and vegetable stock.

Cook for 25-30 minutes until lentils and sweet potatoes are soft and it’s thickened up. Stir in the garlic.

Remove from heat and serve topped with fresh coriander, a sprinkling of chia seeds and a slice of lemon over quinoa.

For the quinoa

Rinse the quinoa under running water for a few moments.

Place in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to the boil. Then turn down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. 

Take off heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving to soak up any excess water.

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Tips

Adding the garlic at the very end of cooking preserves all the goodness of the garlic and the flavour is a lot stronger. Great if you're a garlic lover like me!