Pack in four of your 5-a-day with a bowl of these spiced veggie lentils. Make your own gluten-free naan to scoop it up, or use shop-bought
INGREDIENT :
1 tbsp garlic oil
½ leek (about 100g) leek, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger paste
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
400g can chopped tomatoes
400ml can coconut milk
500ml gluten-free vegetable stock
200g dried red lentils, uncooked (ensure gluten-free if needed)
2 handfuls fresh spinach (about 120g), washed
250g gluten-free self-raising flour
260g Greek yogurt (or any thick, plain yogurt)
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp garam masala
RECIPE DIRECTION :
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. To prepare the naan, put the flour, Greek yogurt (give it a good stir before using) and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix together using a spatula and, as it starts to come together, use your hands to bring it together into a slightly sticky ball. Cover and set aside.
To make the roasted cauliflower, tip the cauliflower onto a large baking tray, drizzle with the oil, then sprinkle with garam masala and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix so the cauliflower is well coated and set aside.
To make the dhal, place a large pan with a lid on a medium heat and add the oil. Tip in the leek and cook for a few minutes to soften. Mix in the ginger paste, chilli flakes, turmeric, curry powder and garam masala and cook for 1 min. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, stock and lentils, then stir in. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
Meanwhile, put the cauliflower in the oven and roast for around 25-30 mins until softer and starting to colour, turning halfway.
To make the naan, knead the dough on a well-floured surface briefly until it's smooth, combined and no longer sticky. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out a portion of dough into an oval 3mm thick. Heat a large frying pan over a high heat. The higher the heat, the more bubbles you’ll get in the naan. Once heated, carefully transfer the naan to the dry frying pan using a fish slice. Leave to cook on one side for 2 mins or until nicely browned, then flip and cook for 1 min. After flipping, press down firmly on the naan using a spatula – this encourages it to puff up a little. Repeat using the rest of the dough.
Once the dhal is ready, the lentils will be tender. Stir through the spinach to wilt and season to taste. Top the dhal with roasted cauliflower and serve with a naan on the side. To freeze, freeze the dhal and naan separately. Reheat the dhal in the microwave and the naan in the oven.
