Tarka Dal with Spinach, for the Freezer
Eight portions of red lentil dal, finished with a hot spiced oil poured over right at the end. Built to fill a freezer drawer, not a single dinner.
Why it works
The tarka is the technique worth learning here, full stop. Whole spices bloomed in hot fat release fat-soluble compounds that water never pulls out, which is why a dal finished this way tastes like a different dish than one where the spices went in at the start. It also means you can add fresh flavour to a reheated portion, which is the single best trick there is for making frozen food taste cooked instead of thawed. Nutritionally, this is a legume dish carrying 18 grams of protein and 13 of fiber a portion, and lentils sit among the lowest glycemic responses of any carbohydrate staple around. Turmeric goes in with fat and black pepper, the same absorption trick that applies everywhere curcumin shows up.
Legume-forward eating patterns have consistent cohort support for cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes. Lentils produce a notably low post-meal glucose response next to other starch staples.
Ingredients
- 500 g red lentils, rinsed
- 1.5 litres water
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 250 g spinach, chopped
- For the tarka: 3 tbsp ghee or neutral oil, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp black mustard seeds, 2 dried red chillies, 1 sliced onion
- Lemon and coriander to serve
Method
- Put the lentils, water, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes in the slow cooker and cook on low for four hours, or simmer on the hob for 35 minutes, until the lentils have collapsed.
- Stir the spinach through at the end and let the residual heat wilt it.
- For the tarka, heat the ghee in a small pan until shimmering, add the cumin and mustard seeds, and wait for the mustard seeds to pop.
- Add the onion and chillies and fry until the onion is deep golden, then pour the whole thing over the dal and stir once, leaving some on the surface.
- Freeze the dal without the tarka if you can, and make a fresh spoonful when you reheat. It takes two minutes, and it's the difference between good and excellent.
