Sunday, September 23, 2007

Spinach, tomato and potato dhal with honey roasted pumpkin


I love this dhal - it's so satisfying, and warm, with just a hint of heat. The tomatoes give it a lovely fresh flavour, stopping it from becoming too heavy, a common dhal problem. And you really can't go wrong with honey roasted pumpkin.

Spinach, tomato and potato dhal

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
6 salad potatoes, washed well and quartered
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon tumeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 cup Persian red lentils (I used the Mount Zero brand, which are magnificent, and hold their shape when cooked. If you can't find these, used Puy lentils)
2 1/2 cups water
3 tomatoes, skinned and deseeded, and diced
2 large handfuls spinach leaves, washed well and stems removed

1 - Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large saucepan, and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, or until tender and golden. Add the spices, and cook for a minute more.

2 - Add the potatoes, lentils and water, and bring to the boil. Turn heat down and simmer, covered, for 35 - 40 minutes, or until the potatoes and lentils are just tender, stirring frequently.

3 - Add the tomatoes, and cook for 5 minutes more.

4 - Add the spinach, and stir in until wilted. Serve.

Honey roasted pumpkin

500 grams pumpkin, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup pepitas, toasted
2 tablespoons honey


1 - Preheat the oven to 200 C. Place the pumpkin in a baking dish, and toss with the oil. Roast for 30 - 35 minutes, or until tender and just beginning to caramelise.

2 - Remove from oven and drizzle with the honey. Roast in oven for 5 minutes more.

3 - Place the pumpkin on serving dish, and scatter with pepitas. Serve.

2 comments:

  1. By pepitas, do you mean whole pumpkin seeds or the inner part of the seed?

    You list it as a separate ingredient -- does that mean you don't mean the seeds from the pumpkin in the recipe? (I assume they would take much longer than the pumpkin flesh to roast.)

    Thanks so much for your blog! You are helping my family eat less meat and eat more healthfully. You rock!

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  2. Anonymous4:24 PM

    Pepitas are the whole pumpkin seed, dried - I found them in my local supermarket (in Toronto, Canada). They don't take long to brown in the oven, only 10 minutes or so (keep an eye on them, and toss them every few minutes).

    My notes on this recipe...

    I found it a little bland, and so added salt and hot sauce (I found chipotle added a nice smoky flavour as well as some heat). Also, I'd say it's 3 servings - and next time I'd serve it with some naan bread or rice to make it a bit more filling. Otherwise - delicious!

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