Tag Archives: coriander

Hot savoury

Spiced lentils

400g split red lentils
large bunch fresh coriander
large onion, peeled
80g ginger, peeled
six cloves garlic, peeled
two mild green chillies or dried chilli flakes
three teaspoons black mustard seeds
four tablespoons sunflower oil
a tin of chopped tomatoes
two teaspoons sugar
three teaspoons ground coriander
two teaspoons ground cumin
one teaspoon ground turmeric
one teaspoon smoked paprika
twenty curry leaves
one teaspoon fenugreek
asafoetida
salt
140g butter
three tablespoons lime juice

Wash 400g split red lentils in plenty of water, drain and soak in 700ml water for thirty minutes. Finely chop a large onion. Put three teaspoons of mustard seeds in a heavy-based pot and place over medium heat. When they begin to pop, add the onion and four tablespoons of sunflower oil and cook on low heat. While the onion is frying, finely chop 80g root ginger, six cloves of garlic, and two mild green chillies if you’re using them, and add to the pan. Cut a large bunch of coriander somewhere around its centre to get a leafy top half and a stem/root bottom half. Roughly chop the stem half and add to the pan.

Add three teaspoons of ground coriander, two teaspoons of ground cumin, one teaspoon of ground turmeric, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, and twenty curry leaves, plus a lidful of chilli flakes if you prefer these to fresh chillies. Continue cooking and stirring for five minutes longer. Now add the lentils and their soaking water, a tin of chopped tomatoes, two teaspoons of sugar and a large pinch of salt. You can also add one teaspoon of fenugreek and two pinches of asafoetida but I’m not sure they make any difference.

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are fully cooked.

Before serving, stir in 140g butter, three tablespoons of lime juice and most of the leafy half of the coriander, chopped; taste and season generously with salt. Divide into bowls and garnish with the last of the coriander.

Yotam Ottolenghi: Plenty or Guardian website – double the quantities.

Hot savoury

Peach and chickpea curry

Drain a tin of chickpeas and rinse well. Boil vigorously in water for ten minutes.

Meanwhile finely chop an onion and a clove of garlic (plus a chilli if you like them) plus a teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika, plus crushed chillis if you’re not using fresh. Fry gently.

Drain a tin of peaches (or apricots) into the pan and add the fruit chopped into small chunks. Turn the chickpeas down to a simmer.

Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a handful of fresh coriander, chopped, and a stock cube. Stir together then simmer for thirty minutes, adding water if needed.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas then add them. Serve with rice.

Adapted from Jack Monroe: A Girl Called Jack, page 74

Cold savoury

Lentil salad

  • 250g dried Puy or green lentil, rinsed
  • juice ½ lime and juice ½ lemon
  • one tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar
  • one red onion thinly sliced into rings
  • two tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • one teaspoon ground cumin
  • a small garlic clove crushed
  • two tablespoons  mango chutney
  • handful of coriander roughly chopped
  • 250g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 85g rocket or baby spinach (rocket is better – if you use spinach teare the leaves into bite-sized pieces)
  • Set the lentils cooking following the instructions on the packet.
  • Meanwhile, mix the citrus juices, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a salad bowl, then toss in the onion rings – after a few mins they will soften and turn pink. Whisk together the oil, cumin, garlic and chutney, then toss into the onions with the cooled lentils, coriander, tomatoes, spinach and plenty of seasoning.
  • Drain the lentils, rinse well and drain thoroughly. This should cool them down, but if not leave to cool before adding to the mixture.

From the BBC Good Food website.

Hot savoury

Fish finger bhorta

Leave a comment

First, make pink pickled onions as for the lentil salad – a better recipe than Nigella’s – as far in advance as you can.

Slice a red onion thinly into rings, then shake it up in a jar with the juice of half a lime and half a lemon (or a few tablespoons of each) , one tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt. After a few minutes they will go an incredible Barbie pink. Make them in a Kilner jar and they’ll keep for a few days.

  • two regular onions
  • two red chillies or use dried crushed chillies
  • two fat cloves of garlic
  • one tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (a three-inch chunk)
  • 12 frozen fish fingers
  • three tablespoons cold-pressed rapeseed oil or vegetable oil
  • two 15ml tablespoons English mustard (from a jar)
  • one teaspoon salt
  • 125 grams young spinach
  • a lime
  • three tablespoons roughly chopped fresh coriander (plus more to serve)
  1. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan. While you’re waiting, peel and slice your into fine half-moons, deseed the chillies (or not if you prefer) and slice them finely, and peel the garlic. If the skin is tough, peel the ginger (using the tip of a teaspoon) then grate it finely to give 1 tablespoonful.
  2. When the oven’s hot, and your ingredients are assembled and ready, put the frozen fish fingers on a baking sheet and cook for 20–25 minutes, which may be slightly longer than the packet directs, but will ensure the breadcrumb coating is really crisp.
  3. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large frying pan or wok, and cook the onions over medium-low for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, by which time they will be pale gold and soft.
  4. Add the sliced chillies and cook, stirring all the while, for three minutes, then stir in the grated ginger, mince or grate in the garlic, and cook, still stirring, for another two minutes. Spoon in the mustard and salt, stirring to combine, then add the spinach leaves and let them wilt in the pan for two to three minutes, stirring regularly, then squeeze in the juice of the lime.
  5. Take the pan off the heat while you get the fish fingers. Break them up a bit with a spatula then add them to the wok or frying pan. Toss everything together, breaking them up further and mashing them into the pan, then sprinkle over the coriander.
  6. Serve topped with the pink-pickled onions, adding extra chopped coriander if wished.

Nigella Lawson: Cook, Eat, Repeat, page 61