Slow cooker split pea dal

Tasty and filling, dal makes a cheap, healthy and satisfying meal from store cupboard ingredients.


Ingredients
300g/10½oz yellow split peas

1 onion, chopped

200g/7oz chopped tomatoes (from a tin or fresh)

thumb of fresh root ginger, finely grated

2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp crushed finely in a mortar

2 tsp ground turmeric

2 garlic cloves, one crushed, one thinly sliced

10 freeze-dried curry leaves

700ml/1¼  hot vegetable stock

1 hot green finger chilli, thinly sliced

2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil

lemon wedges, to serve

Preparation method
1.Place the split peas, onion, tomatoes, ginger, ground cumin, turmeric, crushed garlic, curry leaves and stock into a slow cooker. Add most of the chilli and stir to combine. Cook on high for four hours, until the split peas are tender.

2.Season the dal generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Just before serving, heat the oil in a saucepan. When the oil is very hot, add the whole cumin seeds and the sliced garlic. Fry until the garlic is golden-brown and the cumin smells toasty and almost smoky. Spoon the hot spiced oil over the dal, scatter with the remaining green chilli, then serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.