Dhal is a vegan staple, packed full of dietary fibre and protein, and this version is loaded with rich flavours and spices. We added chickpeas, peppers and mushrooms to make a delicious vegan main meal. The naan breads make a hearty accompaniment, and are easy to make. Though traditionally made in a tandoori oven, this vegan naan recipe is adapted to cook the flat breads on a standard hob. This delicious Asian-inspired feast is very cheap to make, particularly if you already have the required spices in your store cupboard, plus it’s a hearty and warming supper perfect for a chilly autumn evening. This recipe makes enough for four people.
Recipe
For the vegan naan breads (makes six)
Ingredients
4 cups wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 sachet yeast
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
1 tsp black onion seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
150ml rice milk
3 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp vegan yogurt
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt with the yeast, sugar and spices (black onion seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds). In a microwave (or on the hob) gently heat the rice milk until lukewarm. This should take about 1 minute. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, along with 2 tbsp of the oil and the yogurt. Incorporate the surrounding dry ingredients to make a soft dough. If the dough is too sticky, add a little extra flour; if it is too dry, add a little extra yogurt.
- Knead the dough vigorously for 10 minutes using the heel of your hand. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel, leaving it to rise for about 1 hour.
- After an hour, knock back the dough and knead for another 2-3 minutes. Divide the dough into six pieces, and roll each piece into a fist-sized ball. Place each ball on a flat surface and cover again with a tea towel, leaving to rise for a further 30 minutes.
- Preheat a large frying pan to a high heat and lightly oil. Roll each ball out into a flat oval shape and one by one add to the frying pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, gently brushing the top side with the remaining olive oil. Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Place in the oven on a low heat (about 50˚c) to keep warm for serving.
For the red lentil and chickpea dhal
Ingredients
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 kafir lime leaves
1 piece star anise
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
3 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods
900ml vegan stock
2 medium leeks
4 sticks celery
3 cloves garlic
2 red peppers
2 red chilies
300g closed cup mushrooms
2 tins chickpeas
1½ cups red lentils
2 tsp garam masala
½ jar sun-dried tomato paste (about 100g)
Method
- In a large saucepan, add the fresh ginger, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, lime leaves, star anise, fenugreek seeds, cloves and cardamom pods (without oil) and toast on a medium heat, stirring to prevent burning, for about 5 minutes. Finely chop the leeks and the celery and add to the saucepan, and sauté until soft. Then add the vegan stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently to infuse the spices for about 30 minutes.
- In another saucepan, finely chop the garlic, peppers, chilies and mushrooms and sauté gently to soften. Add the chickpeas, and then strain the infused stock into the mix using a sieve. Discard the leeks, celery and spices.
- Add the red lentils, sun-dried tomato paste and the garam masala and stir thoroughly. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook gently for 50 minutes-1 hour, stirring frequently.
- Spoon the dhal into bowls and serve with the warm vegan naan bread.
1
VEpulum 