Lentils are a staple in Indian cuisine and form the base of dhal, a richly spiced and filling “stew”. This broth is made with both yellow lentils and chickpeas to provide an interesting texture as well as a great source of proteins — you certainly won’t feel hungry after a bowl of this on a cold winter’s day. For a little extra indulgence finish the broth with a dollop of Greek-style yoghurt or a swirl of olive oil.
Ingredients
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| ½ tsp | Ground coriander |
| ½ tsp | Ground cumin |
| ½ | Onions, diced |
| 3 cloves | Garlic, grated |
| 400 g | Chopped tomatoes |
| 5 cups | Vegetable stock, see how to make below (Main) |
| ¾ cup | Lentils, yellow ones (Main) |
| 400 g | Chickpeas, cooked (Main) |
| 3 leaves | Silverbeet, including stems, washed and sliced |
| ⅓ cup | Mint leaves, sliced |
Directions
- Gently fry coriander, cumin and onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, add garlic then tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil.
- Add lentils and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are almost cooked. Add chickpeas and the sliced white silverbeet stems. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stir in the green silverbeet leaves and serve into hot soup bowls. Garnish with fresh mint.
Easy vegetable stock
In a pot, place 2 peeled and sliced onions, 2 washed and sliced carrots, 3 washed and sliced celery stems, 2 whole heads of garlic sliced in half, 1 bay leaf, 2 parsley stalks, 2 tsp salt and 2 white peppercorns. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 45 minutes. Allow to cool then strain. Vegetable stock freezes well and will keep for 4 monbths.
