Serves : 4
Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 40 mins
Delicately spiced with Indian flavourings, these red lentils make a truly wonderful sauce to serve with chicken.
Ingredients:
2 tblsp (30ml) oil
4 chicken portions
8oz (225g) onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
4oz (125g) streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 in (2.5cm) fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
8oz (225g) split red lentils
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 tsp (5ml) turmeric
2 tsp (10ml) ground cumin
1 tblsp (15ml) ground coriander
1 pint (600ml) chicken stock
2oz (50g) creamed coconut
1 tblsp (15ml) lemon juice
Salt and pepper
2 tblsp (30ml) chopped fresh coriander
Step One : Heat the oil in a large non-stick sauté pan and brown the chicken well. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Step Two : Cook the chopped onion and crushed garlic for 5 mins. Add the streaky bacon and cook for a further 3 mins.
Step Three : Stir in the ginger, lentils, chilli, turmeric, cumin and ground coriander and cook for a further 2 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil.
Step Four : Add the chicken, cover and simmer gently for 25 mins, stirring occasionally and adding a little more stock if necessary, until the chicken and lentils are tender.
Step Five : Grate the creamed coconut and stir into the lentil mixture together with the lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning, heat through and stir in the fresh coriander just before serving.
Other Dal recipes can be found here …
