Jamie's Feasts For A Fiver
By Roopa Gulati
1 hr plus soaking
Not Too Tricky
serves 4
About the recipe
A comforting and vibrant dal that balances warmth and freshness — soft red lentils simmered with turmeric and finished with wilted spinach and a fragrant tarka of garlic, ginger, cumin and chilli. Traditionally made with chana dal, this version uses red lentils for a softer, creamier texture and a quicker cook. A squeeze of lime at the end brightens the whole dish beautifully.
Recipe From
Ingredients
DAL
200g red lentils (masoor dal), washed and soaked in hot water for 1 hour
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
350g baby spinach leaves
TARKA
5 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes (Kashmiri, if possible)
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
30g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 large, or 2 small green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
RICE
300g basmati rice
30g butter
TO SERVE
juice of 1 lime
Method
- Cook the dal
Drain the lentils and place in a medium saucepan with the turmeric and enough water to cover by about 4cm. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and half-cover the pan. Cook for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft, broken down, and have a soupy consistency. Add a little extra water if it becomes too thick. Season lightly with salt, cover, and keep warm. - Cook the rice
Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then soak for 10–15 minutes. Drain and place in a saucepan with fresh water — it should come to just above your first knuckle when you rest your fingertip on the surface of the rice. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting and cover tightly. Cook gently for 7–10 minutes, without lifting the lid. Briefly remove the lid, add the butter, replace the lid and leave to steam off the heat until ready to serve. - Prepare the spinach
While the dal cooks, heat a large dry frying pan over a high heat. Add the spinach (in batches if needed) and cook, stirring constantly, until just wilted — about 1 minute. Transfer to a colander and leave to cool slightly, then squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands. Roughly chop and set aside. - Make the tarka
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes and cook for 20 seconds, swirling the pan until fragrant and just darkened. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the garlic, ginger and green chillies. Fry for 1 minute before stirring in the diced tomato. Cook for another minute until the tomato softens, then fold in the chopped spinach, season with salt and warm through. - Combine and serve
Reheat the dal until gently bubbling, then ladle into bowls. Spoon the spinach tarka over the top and finish with a generous squeeze of lime juice. Serve hot with the buttered basmati rice or your favourite flatbreads.
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