Earthy nourishment for the soul

The tantalising aroma of spicy lentils is nearly as satisfying as each mouthful. Enjoy this Every Week Tomato Lentils recipe from Eleanor Ford’s The Nutmeg Trail: A Culinary Journey Along The Ancient Spice Routes. Carrot and  beetroot with tarka rounds out the meal.

Full of earthy heat, a substantial pot of lentils can bring succouring comfort. This is the one recipe I cook every week and is what I crave most after a few days away from home. It would be audacious to use the label dal as I draw on British store cupboard ingredients and a one-pot method without a finishing tarka.

However, the lentils are certainly Indian-inspired, following in a long tradition of dals travelling and adapting to new homes.

If you embrace them into your menu every week, here are some variations to consider. Fenugreek seeds or a pinch of asafoetida can be added to the spices.  A slit chilli or a dried Kashmiri chilli in with the tomatoes adds punch. Fresh greens wilted in at the end make a complete meal. Ghee or butter stirred in with the lemon adds richness. Or swap the lemon for a spoon of tamarind paste balanced with jaggery or sugar for a sweet-sour finish. — Eleanor Ford

Every Week Tomato Lentils

INGREDIENTS - Serves 4

•  1 tsp black mustard seeds

•  2 tblsp neutral oil

•  1 large onion, chopped

•  30g (1oz) coriander (cilantro)

•  4 garlic cloves, minced

•  3cm ginger, peeled and minced (1 tblsp)

•  ½ tsp chilli flakes

•  1 tblsp curry powder

•  8 curry leaves

•  400g tin chopped tomatoes

•  200g split red lentils, well washed

juice of ½ a lemon

Set a large pan over a medium heat, add the mustard seeds and let them start to pop. Add the oil and onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until soft and starting to caramelise.

Meanwhile, cut the stems off the coriander, discard any particularly thick, tough ones and finely slice the rest. Set the leaves aside for later.

Add the coriander stems, garlic and ginger to the onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the chilli flakes, curry powder and curry leaves and let the fragrance hit you.

Pour in the tin of tomatoes, then fill the tin with water and add this too. Finally mix in the lentils and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a bubble, lower the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 25 minutes.

Leave to cool just a little before stirring in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning — a pinch of sugar may be needed to bring out the flavours. Serve strewn with the coriander leaves.

The tarka technique has been in use for thousands of years and still forms the foundation of Indian cookery. Spices are bloomed in hot oil, which unlocks their aromas to infuse them throughout food. Ancient wisdom is backed by science, as most spice flavour compounds are soluble in fat but not water. The technique is endlessly adaptable and can be used at the beginning of a dish or as a finishing flourish. — Eleanor Ford

Carrot and Beetroot with Tarka

Serves 4 as a side

•   4 large carrots

•   2 large raw beetroot, peeled juice of a lemon

•  1 tsp grated jaggery or honey

•  Handful coriander (cilantro) leaves

Tarka

•   4 tblsp neutral oil

•   1 tsp black mustard seeds

•   1 tsp cumin seeds

•   ½ tsp chilli flakes

•   4 fresh curry leaves

Coarsely grate the carrot and beetroot into separate bowls (keeping them apart to stop the beetroot tinting everything lurid pink). Toss each with lemon, jaggery and a good pinch of salt.

To make the tarka, heat the oil in a small frying pan. When shimmering, add the mustard seeds, which should start to fizzle and pop. Quickly add the cumin, chilli and curry leaves, sizzle for a few moments, then swiftly but carefully pour the hot oil straight over the carrots. Toss together.

At the last moment, mix the carrot and beetroot and strew with coriander leaves.