The co-owner of Gujarati Rasoi serves a delicious and nutritious Indian staple
In its Eat Well for Less series, OFM asked 10 chefs to make a meal for four whose ingredients cost £5 or less – barring items that would already be in the household cupboard, such as olive oil, soy sauce, dried herbs and spices.
This is a great balance of food groups and flavours. Dhal can be sumptuous and thick, rich with complex aromatic spices or incredibly humble using the most basic of ingredients and still tasting good. This basic dhal is a staple, it balances savoury, spicy, salty flavours with a hint of sweetness. It is very simple and tastes great with rice and easily makes a meal for four.
Indian food when made well can be nutritious, balanced, delicious and affordable. Aside from a few of the spices, it is time that is the hardest ingredient to find.
Serves 4
red lentils 250g
sunflower oil 3 tbsp
dry chilli 1
cumin seeds 1 heaped tsp
asafoetida¼ tsp
garlic ½ small bulb, sliced 1mm
onion½, finely sliced
turmeric½ level tsp
salt 2 level tsp (then add to taste)
ginger finely chopped 1½ heaped tbsp
green chilli 2, finely chopped (adjust to your taste)
dhana jeru (2 parts coriander seed, 1 part cumin seed) 3 heaped tbsp
fresh coriander½ bunch (reserve a little for garnish), roughly chopped
tomatoes 100g, roughly chopped
jaggery (or sugar) 1½ level tsp (add less to begin with then adjust to taste)
garam masalo½ level tsp
rice to serve
TOTAL £4.89 Bought from Sainsbury's
Boil the lentils or dhal in a pan with 1.5 litres water, cook to the consistency you prefer and set aside.
For the vaghar (tempering spices): measure your spices and place on a plate for speed – the next part happens quickly so you need to be prepared. Pour the oil into a thick-based pan, large enough to take all the spices, onion and tomato and heat the oil over a medium/high heat. Add the whole dry chilli (this will infuse the oil with flavour) but do not let it blacken. Test the oil is hot enough by putting in 1 cumin seed – if it immediately fizzes and splutters it's ready. Add the cumin seeds – allow to splutter, then add the asafoetida and half the garlic, and allow the garlic to brown a little. Add the onion and allow it to become brown on the edges.
Add the turmeric, salt, ginger, green chilli, dhana jeru and quickly mix into the oil. Expect a burst of steam and flavour to come from the pan, catch it all by popping a lid on fast, remove the lid once it's calmed down and allow to cook until the oil separates from the mixture.
Add three-quarters of the coriander – it will cool down your "masalo" and stop it from burning. Add the tomatoes and jaggery and allow to cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
Transfer the whole lot into the pan with the cooked dhal and mix through. Add the remaining garlic, coriander and garam masalo and simmer for a further 5 to 10 minutes on a low heat. Taste and add extra chilli to your taste before serving.
Serve with long grain rice. Garnish each serving with a coriander leaf and a small knob of ghee or butter.
Gujarati Rasoi, Bradbury Street, London N16 8JN