Sunday Kitchen: Jess Daniell of Jess’ Underground Kitchen + Spiced Lentil Dhal recipe

Jess Daniell of Jess's Underground Kitchen. Photo / Lottie Hedley

Jess Daniell, of Jess’ Underground Kitchen (aka JUK), takes the hard work out of weekday meals with her range of deliciously healthy ready-made meals. She uses her Sunday to prep for the week ahead and here shares a flavour-packed dhal that can be eaten in multiple ways.

What does Sunday look like in your kitchen?

Sunday is reset day for our family – we slow down after a busy week and get ready for the week ahead. With two under 2, I try and batch-cook on Sundays so I have meals to pull out for easy lunches and dinners when we’re short on time, especially dishes that will freeze easily for reheating. I’ll often look in the fridge and plan around what is leftover from the week – slightly-wilted vegetables and herbs from the week’s vege box that can be used up in the base of a new dish – it’s a satisfying way to reduce waste and still create something delicious.

Why have you chosen to share this dish?

A good dhal is like a big hug – warming, comforting and simple yet so deeply complex. I love that it can be appreciated in different ways . . . as a soup by itself or as a curry with added protein and rice or flatbreads. As I’m cooking I take some dhal out before I add the more fragrant spices and chilli so the kids can enjoy it, too. The flavours of this delicious dhal are two-fold – firstly, the tempered fresh curry leaves, which impart so much richness, and secondly the pinch of asafoetida (sometimes known as hing), the secret dried gum that is a staple in Indian cooking. Try an Indian food store and you should be able to find it in powdered form.

Spiced lentil dhal. Photo / Lottie Hedley

Spiced lentil dhal

Serves 6

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled & grated

1 fresh chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)

1 tsp turmeric

1 pinch asafoetida

2 cups red lentils, washed and drained

1 large tomato, diced

2 stems curry leaves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black mustard seeds

1 handful coriander leaves, to serve

Homemade flatbreads, to serve (optional)

For the dhal: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and sliced onion, sauteing for 1-2 minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic, ginger and chilli (if using) and fry for 1-2 more minutes.

Add tomato, turmeric and asafoetida, stirring well to combine. Add lentils and 4 cups of water, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and the curry leaves, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Toast until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour oil and aromatics straight into the lentils. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with fresh coriander leaves and home-made flatbreads, if making. You can also enjoy your dhal by itself or accompanied by basmati rice, quinoa, store-bought roti or naan.

Homemade flatbreads

2½ cups plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup natural yoghurt

1 tsp salt

2 tsp white sugar

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 Tbsp canola oil, plus extra for frying

In another bowl, mix together yoghurt, salt and sugar. Fold through the cumin seeds.

Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and combine gradually to form a dough, adding up to a cup of water to bring it together. Lightly knead until the mixture is soft and pillowy.

Incorporate 2 tablespoons of oil into the dough and cover the dough with a damp cloth. Sit to one side for an hour.

Divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Roll them into balls. Place on a tray, cover again with a damp cloth and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.

Grease your palms with a little oil and flatten the balls. Roll out into 12cm disks.

Fill a large pot or saucepan with enough oil for shallow frying and bring up to a medium-high temperature. Add the breads to the oil one or two at a time and fry on both sides until lightly browned. Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep wrapped and warm in a clean tea towel until all of the breads have been fried off and serve immediately.

Tip: You can leave out the cumin seeds for plain flatbreads, or experiment with different flavours. For garlic flatbreads, combine some finely diced garlic with butter and brush over the flatbreads when they’re hot out of the frying pan.