This is the perfect recipe for those cold wintery nights – a big healthy bowl of some of the best (in my opinion) comfort food there is, dahl! The spices in this dish are abundant in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, with their absorption substantially increased by cooking them in ghee. The ghee acts as a protective barrier from destructive acids in the stomach, helping to transport the vitamins and minerals into the small intestine where they are absorbed. You can enjoy this recipe on its own, or as an accompaniment to other dishes such as curry and/or rice.

Ingredients:
2 cups red split lentils (masoor dahl) – rinsed well
1 can organic tomatoes (or 3 large fresh tomatoes)
2/3 can of coconut cream
Roughly 5 cups filtered watered
1 red onion
2 cloves organic garlic
Small nob of fresh ginger (grated)
2 birdseye chili’s (you can use 1 or omit if you don’t like heat)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
4 cardamon pods
1 tblsp paprika
2 tsps turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tblsp black sesame seeds
3 fresh curry leaves
3 tblsps ghee
Handful fresh coriander
Generous pinch sea salt & cracked pepper
Fresh lemon juice for serving

Method:
1. In a large frying pan, saute the finely diced onion in ghee on a moderate heat
2. Add mustard, coriander and cumin seeds to pan and stir for 1 minute. Add remaining spices, garlic, chili and ginger, as well as the lentils, and continue stirring for another 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the spices, when they are powdered this can happen easily
3. Add the water, tomatoes, coconut cream and curry leaves to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring often. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and let simmer for roughly about 30 mins – continue stirring every 5 minutes or so. If it looks like you need a little more moisture, add another half a cup of water and keep stirring
4. Once all of the water has been absorbed and the lentils are fully cooked, serve in a bowl with a big handful of fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon juice!