I’m a big fan of introducing herbs and spices to babies and children and this delicious dahl is perfect way to start. It’s also a good example of how to add flavour to family food without adding salt.
It’s easy to double up the amounts in the recipe so you can batch cook the dahl and freeze portions for another day to help make the most of your freezer. Best of all the dahl is quick to prep and packed full of nutrients. The recipe is taken from my book How To Feed Your Family and it’s suitable for babies and young children, making it an ideal family meal.
Serves: 4 plus plenty of leftovers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 3cm piece of root ginger, peeled and grated
- ½ – 1 tbsp mild curry powder, to taste
- 200g passata
- 200g dried red lentils
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
- Juice of ½-1 lemon, to taste
To serve
- 10g fresh mint, leaves well chopped
- Dairy-free or natural yogurt (optional)
- Black onion seeds (optional)
Method
- Heat the oil in a large, lidded saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes, until softened and beginning to colour.
- Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and fry for 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Then add the passata, lentils, sweet potato and 800ml water.
- Bring everything to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes over a low-medium heat, then remove the lid and simmer for a further 10 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender and the dhal has thickened.
- Add lemon juice to taste, then divide among bowls, scatter with the mint, drizzle with a little yogurt (if using) and finish with a sprinkling of black onion seeds (if liked).
I love serving this with my super simple coconut flatbreads for mopping up the sauce, or simply serve with some rice. If you’re looking for meal ideas, you may enjoy my baby-friendly summer curry or I’ve got plenty more inspiration on my blog for family friendly recipes.
How To Feed Your Family
Following on from her bestselling books How to Wean Your Baby and How to Feed Your Toddler, this book brings Charlotte’s trademark approach of practical support and nurturing step-by-step guidance to help you manage the juggle of family life.