Delicious Dhal Dinner Bowl

How do you feel about supermarket shopping? Most people I know find it a chore but I really enjoy it. For me, supermarket shopping is that one time I can spend money and not feel guilty or wasteful. Having said that, there are times it feels like one extra job I simply can’t fit in. I mean, I try to do that one big shop a week that covers everything but sometimes life gets in the way. Not to mention my people are big eaters. Don’t they know that the milk/eggs/bread was supposed to last 7 days not 3?

When I haven’t had a chance to pop to the supermarket I rely on my store-cupboard to save dinnertime. As long as I’ve got a variety of nuts, legumes, rice and frozen peas I know I’m good.

That’s when my Delicious Dhal Dinner Bowl becomes the star of the show. I just love this dish so much. Inexpensive and comforting, my Delicious Dhal Dinner Bowl is a rainbow of goodness. It doesn’t hurt that it’s crazy easy to throw together either.

Now, I normally gravitate to Mediterranean vibes so this dish is a nice change of pace. There’s a subtle brightness to the flavours that never feels over-powering. In fact, whenever I eat this dish I feel satisfied and nourished. Like my body needed it or something.

When it’s time to roll out the Delicious Dhal Dinner Bowl I always make sure I cook extra dhal. This is because the store-cupboard’s best friend is the freezer. So, next to my packet of frozen peas I freeze single serve portions of dhal. That way I’ve always got a delicious meal ready to go.

Serves 4

1 cup red lentils

3 cloves of garlic (crushed)

1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger (grated)

1 tbs olive oil

1/2 butternut pumpkin (peeled, de-seed and cubed)

1 heaped tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

400g tin diced tomatoes

1 cup of frozen baby peas

1 cup brown rice (I use long grain)

1/4 head purple cabbage (shredded)

1/2 cup dry roasted almonds (roughly chopped)

Method:

First, put your rice on to cook. Combine your 1 cup of brown rice with 2 cups of cold tap water in a pot with a lid. Place your pot on the stove on high heat. Partially cover with the lid. Bring your rice to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Once the rice has absorbed all the water (around 15 – 20 minutes) turn off the heat and clamp the lid on. Give your rice at least another 5 minutes like this before serving or simply set it aside with the lid on until the rest of your meal is ready.
While your rice is cooking, measure out 1 cup of frozen peas and set them aside to thaw.
Now for the dhal. Put a large pot on the stove on a medium heat. Throw in your crushed garlic and stir for around 30 seconds to bring out the flavour without browning.
Next comes the grated ginger, dried cumin and turmeric. Mix them through the garlic for a mere moment – when you get a lovely whiff of cumin it’s time for the next step.
Add your red lentils to the pot and stir through the garlic mixture. This will coat your lentils in all the lovely flavours.
Now add your tin tomatoes, turn up the heat and give it a stir. Fill your tomato tin up with cold tap water and add it to the pot. Give it another gentle stir.
At this point, it’s time to add the diced pumpkin, a good pinch of salt and some ground black pepper.
Once the dhal has come to the boil turn it down to a simmer and let it cook this way for around 30 minutes. Make sure you stir the dhal periodically or the lentils can stick to the bottom. Also, red lentils tend to absorb liquid quite quickly so if you think the mixture is becoming too dry then feel free to add more water.
The dhal is ready when the lentils have gone mushy and the pumpkin is cooked.
To serve, spoon a serving of dhal, brown rice, peas and purple cabbage into a flat bottom bowl then sprinkle with the chopped almonds.