Spinach and pea Daal

a fantastically tasty and easy meal for curry lovers

• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch thumb of ginger
• 1 large red chilli
• 1 tbsp ground nut oil
• ½ pint red lentils
• ¼ tsp tumeric powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 pints water
• 1 tomato (optional)
• juice of 1 lime or half lemon
• 2 tbsp frozen peas
• 3 cubes frozen spinach

Put the oil in a heavy bottomed pan over a low to medium heat.

Peel and roughly chop (or pulse in a food processor) the onion, garlic and ginger. Then coarsely chop the chilli (removing the seeds and membrane if you don't want too much heat). Put all chopped ingredients into the pan and lightly fry until the onion starts to turn translucent (about 5 minutes).

Once the onion has softened add all the ground spices, stir well and fry for another minute or two.

Next add the lentils to the pan and give the mixture a really good stir, before adding all the water and turning the heat right up. Get the water at a fierce boil for ten minutes, before turning it right down again.

Now leave it on the lowest heat you can, stirring occasionally and watching that the daal is not catching on the bottom of the pan. Over the next 30 to 45 minutes it will thicken up considerably. Keep stirring until you have the consistency of thick porridge when you should take it off the heat, but leave it in the pan (it will continue to cook and thicken for a while longer).

5 mins before serving add spinach, peas, lemon/lime juice androughly chopped tomato.