Ottolenghi's Red Lentil Dal with Cucumber Yoghurt - Shortt-Warwick Family

Ingredients: 

200g split red lentils

1 bunch fresh coriander

1 small onion, peeled

40g ginger, peeled 

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 mild green chilli

1½ tsp black mustard seeds

4 tbsp sunflower oil

1½ tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp paprika

10 curry leaves

300g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 

2 tsp caster sugar

½ tsp fenugreek (optional)

1 pinch asafoetida (optional)

Salt

150g Greek yogurt

75g finely diced cucumber

1½ tbsp olive oil

70g unsalted butter

1½ tbsp lime juice

Method:

Soak the lentils in 350ml of cold water. In the meantime put the coriander (just the stem half, keep the leaves or top half for later), onion, ginger and chilli into a food processor and blitz. 

Put the mustard seeds into a pot on a medium heat and wait until they pop. When they pop add the mix from the blender and the sunflower oil. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes.  Add the spices and curry leaves and continue to cook for 5 mins. Add the lentils and their water, the curry leaves, tomatoes, salt, fenugreek and asafoetida (if using). Cover and cook one low for 30 minutes or until lentils are cooked. When cooked stir in the butter, lime juice and chopped coriander leaves. Whisk together yoghurt, cucumber, olive oil and salt. Serve in bowls with a dollop of cucumber yogurt on top. Serve with the garlic and coriander naan bread from Margiottas!