Sweet Potato and Coconut Dahl

This is a bit of a mishmash of a traditional and much loved Indian Dahl with the coconut and lime of south Indian food. I used green lentils but you could use red or brown, even yellow split peas. Either way, you are left with a very delicious, spicy and creamy curry that needs flat breads to mop it up as opposed to rice.

Sweet Potato and Coconut Dahl

Ingredients - feeds 4

200g green lentils, cooked according to instructions (or used tinned)

One large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp garam masala

1 stick of cinnamon

1 tsp chilli powder

2 whole chillies

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tin of coconut milk

Salt and pepper

Juice of 1 lime

Chopped spinach and coriander

1 - Heat the oil on a large, deep non-stick pan. Add the cubed sweet potato and stir fry for 10-15 minutes until coloured and beginning to soften.

2 - Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until beginning to colour and soften.

3 - Add the spices and chillies and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Tip in the tomatoes and coconut and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.

4 - Stir in the cooked lentils and simmer for ten minutes until everything is warmed through and the sweet potato fully cooked. Add the juice of the lime and serve with flat breads, fresh spinach and coriander.