Kale with Tomato Dahl

Kale with Tomato Dahl

Spicy warmth with the last of the summer sun

Dahl is one of the great surprises of family meals time, it was the dish I least expected our boys to like while they were growing up, but it ended up being a favourite. We harnessed this by using it as a vehicle for distributing as many veggies as possible into their diet. Aside from this, dahl is also one of those meals that needs no effort or concentration, a one pot wonder and about as satisfying as it gets. 
Pulses in general have no distinguishable flavour profile of their own on the whole, so it is key that flavour is added at any opportunity. Fat is a very efficient mechanism for this, so toasting spices right at the start allows them to bloom, spreading flavour throughout the cook. 
Adding tomato and onion after the water gives their acid a chance to shine, bringing much needed balance and freshness, lightening the finished dish. 

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Rapeseed oil
A thumb of unsalted butter
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbs turmeric powder
½ tsp fenugreek
325g chana dahl
1 onion
1 beefsteak tomato or a dozen cherry tomatoes
Sea salt flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 garlic clove
A bunch of kale

1. If the time presents itself, soaking dahl overnight or for as long as possible reduced the cooking time, but more fundamentally, allows the pulse to swell giving a creamier texture to the finished dahl. If not, the cooked dahl will still be delicious. Either way rinse well under cold water and drain.
2. In a saucepan over a medium heat, warm the oil and butter. Crush the spices and then toast in the pan until they become fragrant. Add the dhal and mix well to coat thoroughly in the flavoured fats. Increase the heat and add enough water to cover by half its volume. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and put a lid on.
3. Finely chop the onion and add to the cooking dahl. 
4. Roughly chop the beefsteak tomato, or quarter the cherry tomatoes, and add to the cooking dahl. Season with a good pinch of salt at this stage. 
5. Leave to gently cook for 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while, then roughly crush with a potato masher in the pan. Breaking the grains brings a creamy texture, but leaving the grains whole is just as delicious. Either way the choice is yours. Cook with the lid back on for a further 15 minutes, stirring regularly to avoid sticking then burning on the base of the pan.
6. In the meantime, peel and chop the garlic then gently fry in a frying pan with a small puddle of oil, the whole cumin seeds. Strip the kale from it stalks and roughly slice before frying in the garlic, cumin and oil for a few minutes until tender.
7. Cook the dhal until the texture is to your liking, lose or firm, and serve with the stir fry kale. 

Serve with yoghurt, chapati and a fruit chutney.

Chef Notes:
1. Dahl is endlessly versatile, accepting a whole host of flavours. The spices in this recipe are a rough guide, add or subtract to suit your taste. 
2. The texture of a finished dhal is a personal choice. Mashing, leaving wetter, cooking further to be firmer or leave coarse. 

Robin Popham
Chef at ‘Create Terroir’ and Sandy Lane Farm veg box customer