Dhal for lunch

Stefan the plumber who is here re-doing our bathrooms remarked last week that dhal was the best meal ever. So when I picked up the Waitrose freebie magazine Seasons and there was a recipe for spiced dhal, I decided to make some for my lunch. I didn't quite follow the recipe, and this is what I did:

Peel and chop one onion, sweat in some oil. Add a little curry powder, stir for a moment or two, then add a tin of tomatoes. When it's bubbling, add 120g red lentils and a canful of water. Bring back to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.

I ate this with beautiful golden and scented saffron rice, which I cooked with a little of the onion and some pine nuts. (One cupful of rice, added to some chopped sweated onion and pine nuts, stirred about for a few moments, then cooked with the lid on tight in two cupsful of water until it's all gone and the rice is fluffy; then put aside to steam for a couple of minutes, or until everything else is ready. You add the saffron to a little hot water taken from one of the cups, soak it for a while before pouring it all into the pan.)

Quick, cheap, healthy heart food - Stefan was right!