Name: Cook once, eat twice daal
Yield: 2
Ingredients: Oil for cooking; 1 white onion,; 2 garlic cloves,; Thumb size piece of ginger finely grated; 1tsp cumin; 1tsp ground corriander; 1tsp tumeric; 350g red lentils; 1 large sweet potato or head of a butternut squash; 400g tinned chopped tomatoes; 400g tinned full-fat coconut milk; Low salt stock cube; 1tsp mango chutney; To serve: yogurt/coconut yogurt

This is an easy one-pot weekday go-to meal. It’s super versatile and goes the extra mile with gut health, packing in nine different plant-based foods. Full of flavour and nutrients like iron and fibre, daal is a great option for a family meal served with rice or flatbreads. The other thing I love about this recipe is that any leftover dhal makes great lentil burgers or patties the next day—you’ll find both options below.

Free from: Milk*, Eggs, Nuts, Soya

Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients

Oil for cooking
1 white onion, - diced
2 garlic cloves, - crushed
Thumb size piece of ginger finely grated
1tsp cumin
1tsp ground corriander
1tsp tumeric
350g red lentils - (rinsed)
1 large sweet potato or head of a butternut squash - (peeled and diced)
400g tinned chopped tomatoes
400g tinned full-fat coconut milk
Low salt stock cube
1tsp mango chutney
To serve: yogurt/coconut yogurt

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan, and add your diced onion. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add your garlic (crushed) and finely chopped ginger and cook for a few minutes until soft.
Add your spices and a little extra oil if you need it, and put the pan back on the heat for 2-3 minutes.
Then, to your pan, add your lentils, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, sweet potato/squash, mango chutney and a pint of stock made with a low-salt stock cube.
Give it a good stir, then add your lidded pan to a preheated oven at 180°C for 25-30 minutes or leave it to sit on the hob for a similar time at low to medium heat. You could also put this on at a lower temperature and leave it to slow cook for much longer.

Eat twice option: If you’re fortunate enough to have some daal left, it works beautifully to make dhal burgers or patties for a mid-week lunch or evening meal. Simply add plain flour to your cold dhal, starting with 1 tbsp and adding as much as is needed until you can easily form a patty into your hands without it falling apart. Add your patties to an oiled pan, and cook on medium to high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve in a wrap or bun with a dollop of yoghurt mixed with mango chutney and fresh salad leaves.

Lucy Upton The Children’s Dietitian

Paediatric Dietitian, Nutritionist and child feeding expert. Lucy is a specialist children's dietitian and feeding therapist with over 14 years of experience. She is passionate about helping all children and their families achieve happiness and health with food and nutrition. Lucy's knowledge of front-line dietetics and nutrition, after over ten years in the NHS, helps to bring experienced, honest, and pragmatic advice to support families and those interested in child nutrition. She has a breadth of experience working in both the NHS and private sector, as well as being an advisor in the early years's public health arena and as a feeding therapist. Lucy is now Director of The Children's Dietitian Ltd, where she and her team enjoy spending much of their time supporting babies and children with tummy troubles, food allergies, feeding difficulties, weaning, growth concerns or those requiring specialist medical and nutrition guidance. She also continues her valuable work as a feeding therapist at The Feeding Trust. She supports essential work within the early years nutrition arena in her role at The Infant & Toddler Forum.