Homemade Lunch Ideas: Bare Cupboard Dahl

In need of a packed lunch for work but with not so much as two cheese rolls to rub together, I had to get a bit imaginative with my limited food resources. Namely:

Hmmm. Tricky. But coupled with a few red lentils, some spices and a handful of leftover coriander, I had all the necessary means for a simple but tasty dahl.

For two portions, measure out 90g of lentils and cover with water. Dice a couple of carrots and add in along with two teaspoons of garam masala. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 mins, adding more water if it starts to look dry. Continue to simmer, covered, for around 15-20 minutes, until the lentils and carrots are tender.

In the meantime, fry some finely chopped onion, with a finely chopped chilli, until the onion is nicely browned. Add in a clove of garlic and fry gently for a few minutes.

When the lentils are ready, add in the onion mix along with a good pinch of salt and ground black pepper to taste. If you have it, throw in some coriander leaf too. Makes a nice packed lunch, hot or cold, with rice or pitta bread.