Name: Slow cooker dhal
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h 20 min
Total time: 8 h 40 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil; 1 large onion finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves crushed; thumb-sized piece of ginger finely grated; 4 cardamom pods; small piece of cinnamon bark; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder; 400g tin of coconut milk; 400g tin of chopped tomatoes; 600g red split lentils rinsed; 1 litre vegetable stock; handful of coriander chopped; rice or roti to serve; 4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil; handful of curry leaves; 1 tsp black mustard seeds; 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder; 1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1 large onion
finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
crushed
thumb-sized piece of ginger
finely grated
4 cardamom pods
small piece of cinnamon bark
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
400g tin of coconut milk
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
600g red split lentils
rinsed
1 litre vegetable stock
handful of coriander
chopped
rice or roti
to serve

Tarka

4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
handful of curry leaves
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp cumin seeds

Method

step 1
Heat the oil or ghee in a slow cooker with a fry function, or in a large pan. Fry the onion, garlic and ginger for 15 mins until lightly golden. Stir in the spices for a few minutes until fragrant, then tip into the slow cooker if using a pan.
step 2
Stir in the coconut milk, tomatoes, lentils and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cook on low for 6-8 hrs, stirring every now and then, until creamy and the lentils have broken down. Season well.
step 3
To make the tarka, heat the ghee in a small pan and stir in the remaining ingredients. Fry for 2 mins until sizzling. Pour over the dahl and serve topped with coriander, rotis or rice.