Sweetcorn dal

An easy to make red lentil dal packed with fresh sweetcorn. Healthy, comforting, coconutty - just gorgeous.

I love to make this while sweetcorn is in season - it has equal quantities of corn to lentils, so it’s packed with corn, and a great way to make it shine while it’s in season and at its best.

Of course you can also make this with tinned sweetcorn if that’s all you can find or sweetcorn season is over.

This vegan recipe is really easy recipe to make and so comforting.

Serve with rice/naan or as part of an Indian spread.

You’ll need (serves 3-4):

• 1 large onion, peeled and diced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• Olive oil

• 1 tbsp mustard seeds

• 2 tbsp curry powder

• 400ml coconut milk

• 120g dried red lentils, rinsed

• 2 sweetcorn cobs, corn cut away from cob (or around 300g tinned)

• 1 red chilli

• 2 tomatoes

• 1 tbsp stock powder (i.e bouillon)

• 100g spinach (or kale, spring greens, cabbage, shredded if using large leaves)

• Coriander, roughly chopped

In a large pan, fry the onion in a little oil until softening.

Add the garlic, mustard seeds and curry powder and stir until starting the smell fragrant. Add the coconut milk, lentils, sweetcorn, chilli and tomatoes and stir. Add 120ml of water and the stock powder.

Cook on a simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked and you’ve got a porridge like consistency. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning.

Wilt through the greens for a few minutes, and served finished with the coriander on top.