- 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.
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)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve topped with the pink-pickled onions, adding extra chopped coriander if wished.
Nigella Lawson: Cook, Eat, Repeat, page 61
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