Daal saag

A really simple very easy to cook but full of flavour dish that you can make in about 30 to 40 minutes.  You can make a big batch and freeze it or just as and when you need it.  Also it look really nice as well with the yellow lentils and the green of the spinach. So have a go and give this dish a try, if nothing else to recommend it is relatively cheap as well  so if you are watching the pennies then this could be a winner.

You will need

225g/8oz  yellow split lentils

750ml/1pt 7fl oz water

2-3 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp fennel seeds

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 green chillies, de-seeded and chopped

8 curry leaves

100g/3½ oz spinach

2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped

The fact that cooking this could not be any simpler than it is. Start by putting the lentils in a saucepan, pour in the water, and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are soft.  Take them off the heat.

Now in a frying pan add a little oil and heat up. Then add the mustard seeds, turmeric, cumin, fennel seeds, ginger, chillies and curry leaves and fry for 2-3 minutes.  Just watch out for the mustard seed as they can pop and just explode out of the pan. Add the lentils to the spices and give everything a good stir round.

Finally, at the last moment add the spinach and the spring onions and let them wilt in to the heat from the spiced lentils. Once that is it done you are ready to serve.