Source: Traybake lemon dal with pickled green chillies
Traybake Lemon Dal
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 800 g plum tomatoes 2 tins
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemons
- 4 cm ginger
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced
- 1 preserved lemon
- 20 g coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
- 300 g red lentils
- 400 ml coconut milk 1 tin
- 800 ml vegetable stock
- 250 g halloumi
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Add 1 tablespoon coriander seeds and 2 teaspoons cumin seeds to a high-sided baking tray and toast in the oven for 2–4 minutes until fragrant, then add to a spice grinder and blend. Add the ginger, garlic and olive oil to the grinder and then blend to a paste. Cut the preserved lemon in half, remove to the seeds and then add to the grinder and blend to a paste. Drain 2 × 400g tins of tomatoes (reserving the juice) and add to the tray. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon/fork to crush the tomatoes to release their juice and flatten them a little, and spread them evenly over the tray.
- Add the spice paste to the tomatoes, then grate in the zest of 1 unwaxed lemon. Toss the tomatoes in the spices and roast for 30 minutes until sticky and intensified in flavour.
- Once the tomatoes have had their time, remove them from the oven and stir in 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, a cinnamon stick, 1 table- spoon Kashmiri chilli powder and 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds. Put back in the oven for a minute or two to toast the spices.
- Take the tray out of the oven, add 300g split red lentils and pour over a 400ml tin coconut milk and make the reserved tomato juice up to 800ml hot vegetable stock. Cover tightly with foil and return to the oven for another 40 minutes.
- After 40 minutes, carefully take the tray out of the oven and remove the foil. Stir the dal, then season well with sea salt. Slice the halloumi into 0.5cm pieces and layer over the top, and squeeze over the juice of the 2 zested lemons. Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes or until the edges of the tofu/paneer are beginning to turn golden, the dal is creamy and the lentils are soft.
