Indian All-in-one nigella-spiced whole tomato dhal
Serves 4 |
Prep 10 mins
|
Cook 30 mins
In this simple one-pot dhal, the cumin-spiced onion softens while the dhal cooks and infuses with the whole cherry tomatoes and their vines – hands free and completely delicious. You could add a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream at the end for richness if you wish, but it is perfect as it is with flatbreads or buttery basmati rice.
Source: The Quick Roasting Tin
Ingredients
400
g
cherry tomatoes on the vine
140
g
red lentils , rinsed
3
tsp
nigella (black onion) seeds
500
ml
boiling water
1
tsp
sea salt flakes (optional)
1
onion , finely sliced
2
tsp
ground cumin
1
tsp
ground coriander
1
tbsp
olive or vegetable oil
1
lemon , juice only
Flatbreads or basmati rice , to serve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200 °C fan/gas 7 . Tip the cherry tomatoes and their vines into a small lidded casserole dish or roasting tin (I separate these to make the vines easier to fish out at the end), then add the lentils , nigella seeds , boiling water and salt (if using). Prod with a spoon to make sure the vines are submerged in the water.
Dress the sliced onion with the ground cumin , coriander and oil , then scatter this over the tomato and lentil mixture. Cover with a lid or tightly scrunch a double layer of foil over the tin - you want a really good seal here, or the lentils won’t cook - then transfer to the oven and cook for 30 minutes .
After 30 minutes , remove the vines, then give the dhal a good whisk. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and serve with rice or flatbreads.
NOTE: The dhal will thicken a lot as it cools down and can be made ahead and warmed up, in fact it’s even better the next day.
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