This spicy curry is traditionally served as a side dish although it works brilliantly as a vegetarian main course. It's a rich, hearty lentil curry that the whole family will enjoy. Although this recipe uses lentils, you could swap them for yellow split peas or chickpeas depending on what you have in the cupboard.

Ingredients:

• 600g Passata
• 200g red lentils
• 1 large onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 tbsp. hot curry pasta
• 1 tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. each of minced root ginger, caster sugar, salt, chilli powder, ground cumin and ground turmeric

Method of Preparation:

1. Rinse the lentils in a sieve until the water running off them runs clear.

2. Place the lentils into a pot with some fresh water and simmer until the lentils are tender, around twenty minutes. Add extra water if needed.

3. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic clove. Whilst the lentils are cooking, cook the onion until caramelised in the vegetable oil, around 10 minutes.

4. Combine the curry paste, curry powder, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt, turmeric, cumin and chilli powder in a small bowl and mix well.

5. Once the onions are caramelised, add the curry mixture to the pan and cook on a high heat for two minutes.

6. Stir in the passata and simmer the mixture until the lentils are cooked.

7. Once cooked, stir the lentils into the curry base and serve immediately.

The word 'dhal' derives from the Sanskrit meaning 'to split', and it refers to the lentils and other legumes that are used in Asian cuisine. This recipe serves eight people as a side dish. Also a recipe satsivi.

Author: Laura Young

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