Plant-based chef, Bettina Campolucci Bordi of Bettina’s Kitchen is here to provide you with inspiration and motivation in the world of plants.
For the ultimate hearty, comfort food dish for isolation times, she is sharing her mouth-watering red lentil dhal & tandoori chickpeas.
A word from the chef herself:
Comforting and hearty with added crunch, this is perfect for large batch cooking and to take away for lunch on a drizzly day.
One of my favourites. Strictly speaking, this requires a baking sheet as well as a frying pan, but roasting chickpeas is so simple, and makes a huge difference to the flavour and texture.
Bettina Campolucci Bordi
INGREDIENTS
MAKES 2 PORTIONS
- olive oil, for cooking
- 1 leek, green and all, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 medjool dates, tom into pieces
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) red lentils
- 260 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) boiling water
- 400 ml (13 fl oz/generous 1½ cups)
- coconut milk
- 1 large handful of fresh spinach
- salt and freshly cracked
- black pepper
- plant yoghurt, to serve
- sourdough bread, toasted to serve
FOR THE CRISPY CHICKPEAS
- 240 g (8½ oz/1 cup) drained tinned chickpeas (garbanzos)
- 1 tablespoon tandoori spice mix
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°0 (360°F/Gas 4) and line a baking (cookie) sheet with baking parchment.
To cook the crispy chickpeas, put the drained chickpeas in a bowl with the spice mix and olive oil and mix so they are well coated.
Scatter them on the prepared sheet and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes until golden and crunchy.
Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil In a large frying pan (skillet) and fry the leek, garlic, dates and spices for a good 5-10 minutes until soft.
Add the lentils and boiling water and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed.
Add the coconut milk and season with salt and pepper to taste, then simmer for another 10 minutes until the lentils have a lovely creamy texture.
Once it’s ready, ladle in a handful of spinach and top off with crispy chickpeas, a dollop of plant yoghurt and toasted sourdough for scooping.