Dal soup

Ingredients:

200 g red lentils
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 long red chillies, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 garlic cloves, choped
5cm ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
50 g ghee
1 sprig curry leaves, picked
1 tsp black mustard seeds

Method:

1. Place the lentils, turmeric, chilli, onion, tomato and 1½ litres of water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and beginning to break up.
2. Meanwhile, using a pestle and mortar, grind the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds into a paste.
3. Heat the ghee in a small heavy-based frying pan over a medium to low heat, add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and the spice paste and cook for 4 minutes or just until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the mixture starts to brown.
4. Pour the spice mixture into the lentils, combine well and simmer for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper then ladle into bowls to serve.

Vegetarian Club

Ingredients:

3 slices granary bread

1 large handful watercress
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
small squeeze lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 dessertspoons reduced-fat houmous
2 tomatoes, thickly sliced

 

Method:

Toast the bread. meanwhile mix the watercress, carrot, lemon juice and olive oil together. In a small bowl spread the houmous over each slice of toast. Top 1 slice with the watercress and carrot salad, sandwich with another slice of toast and top with the tomato. Lay the final slice of bread, houmous side down, then press down and eat as is or cut the sandwich into quarters.