Ingredients:
1 small to medium golden sweet potato
2 cups of basmati rice
½ cup of dried red lentils
2 brown onions diced
3 cloves of garlic diced finely
1cm cube of ginger diced finely
680g bottle of tomato passata
3 cups of water/vegetable stock
250 g of frozen spinach
1 packet of paneer/haloumi. (vegan option, leave this out)
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt/Vegan yoghurt/coconut cream
SPICE MIX: 4 tsp Coriander seed ground, 4 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp chilli powder (optional), 2 tsp curry powder.
Garnish: Fresh coriander leaves and yoghurt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cook 2 cups of rice as per your desired method. Soak red lentils in a bowl of boiling water until ready for use.
2. Chop sweet potato roughly into 1cm chunks and place in a baking tray coating with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Place the baking tray in the oven for roughly 20 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked through.
3. Heat a large pot to medium-high heat and add oil (add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pot thoroughly). Add diced onions to the pot, sweating them until translucent. Add diced garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Make sure to check the sweet potato in the oven.
4. Add spice mix to onions and sauté for roughly 1 minute or until fragrant. Drain the lentils
and add into pot, frying for 1 minute. Now add the passata and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Fill
the empty passata bottle with ¾ water or vegetable stock and add to the pot. Season with ½ tablespoon of salt.
5. Bring the sauce to a boil and then decrease heat and let simmer for 25-35 minutes or until red lentils have cooked. Stir every 5 minutes, and if the mixture becomes too thick or sticky add small amounts of water. Taste dahl as well, adding more salt if necessary.
6. Part way through simmering, add the packet of frozen spinach, stirring until defrosted.
7. In a separate pan, fry the halloumi/paneer in strips until golden brown. Dice and add to the dahl along with the baked sweet potato and the yoghurt. Mix well.
8. Serve with rice and some fresh coriander leaves
Recipe by: Sharee Greenfield