Spiced cauliflower dhal

Name: Spiced cauliflower dhal
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 450g cauliflower, broken into largish florets; 2 tsp sumac; 2 tsp cumin seeds; For the dhal; 1 onion, chopped; 15g grated fresh ginger; Pinch chilli flakes; 1 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 100g red lentils; 100ml unsweetened almond milk; 65g young leaf spinach; Juice ½ lemon

Published: 22 May 17
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

If you’re on the 5:2 diet, make a double batch of Laura Herring’s vegetarian dhal recipe from The Fast Days Cookbook and freeze half for another low-calorie day.

Serves 2
Hands-on time 25 min, simmering time 30 min

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Ingredients

450g cauliflower, broken into largish florets
2 tsp sumac
2 tsp cumin seeds

For the dhal

1 onion, chopped
15g grated fresh ginger
Pinch chilli flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
100g red lentils
100ml unsweetened almond milk
65g young leaf spinach
Juice ½ lemon

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Give the cauliflower florets a wash and, while still wet, arrange them in a baking tray. Scatter over the sumac, cumin seeds and some salt and pepper, then toss to coat – the water will help the spices stick and will steam the cauliflower a little as it cooks. Cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes; keep an eye on the florets and shuffle them around in the tray every now and then so they cook evenly.
Meanwhile, start the dhal. Fry the onion in a saucepan with a little water over a medium heat for about 8 minutes until soft and translucent. Be careful that it doesn’t get too dry – splash in a little water if needed. Add the ginger, chilli and the dry spices. Stir for about 30 seconds, then add the lentils. Stir to coat in the spice mix, then pour in 450ml water, along with the almond milk. Bring to a bubble, then simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft and the liquid has reduced.
When the lentils are cooked, stir in the spinach. Let the leaves wilt for a minute, but don’t overcook as spinach can turn a bit slimy. Serve the dhal with a squeeze of lemon juice, with the roasted cauliflower on top.

Recipe from April 2017 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 339kcals
Fat: 4.7g (0.6g saturated)
Protein: 22.2g
Carbohydrates: 46.6g (14.2g sugars)
Fibre: 11g
Salt: 0.3g

delicious. tips

On non-fast days, use a little coconut oil to roast the cauliflower and cook the onion. Serve with rice and poppadums or bread, if you’re feeding the family.
Double the batch of dhal and freeze half in a sealed container or freezer bag. Add an extra 5-10 minutes to the cooking time if you’re increasing the recipe. Defrost first, then reheat in a pan until piping hot. The cauliflower can be made ahead and frozen but might turn mushy, so it’s best to cook and serve it fresh.

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Spiced cauliflower dhal

Ingredients

Method

Nutrition

delicious. tips

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