Recipe / Coconut Dal with Homemade Chapati from HelloFresh

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On cold Autumn nights, there is nothing quite like something warm and spicy to eat. Even with less than normal times right now, we’re still pretty busy. The girls have gymnastics most nights which means I often have to feed us in ‘sittings’ in between taking and picking them up from groups.

Kiki and I are vegan, Baya and Oren vegetarian and Lola and Beastie do eat meat occasionally. Mostly though, I cook vegan as I prefer having one meal I can make for all of us. Something I can make ahead when I have a little time in the day, and heat back through when it’s time to eat.

We’ve had Hello Fresh boxes on and off over the years. Asides from the convenience of having all your ingredients ready for you, what I love most is discovering new recipes. It’s a great way of trying dishes you might not otherwise try, and they have so many dishes to suit every diet.

I had a browse through some of their most popular recipes and stumbled across this delicious sounding Coconut Dal dish. I could probably live on dal and Chapati quite happily! I think this will become a mainstay in our winter meal plans!

Coconut Dal and homemade Chapatti

150 grams Wholemeal Flour

½ Vegetable Stock Pot

150 grams Red Split Lentils

100 milliliter(s) Coconut Milk

1 Garlic Clove

1 Onion

1″ Ginger

½ Red Chilli

1 tbsp Curry Powder

1 bag Kale

1 tbsp Desiccated Coconut

½ bunch Coriander

80 milliliters of Water for batter

250 milliliter Water

METHOD

  • Put all but 2 tbsp of the flour into a high sided bowl with a good pinch of salt. Tip: You need 2 tbsp to dust your work surface later. Very gradually add the water (amount specified in the ingredient list) into your flour whilst you mix it with your hands. Keep mixing and adding until you have a soft (not soggy!) dough
  • Sprinkle the remaining flour onto your work surface and coat your dough in a drizzle of olive oil. Knead your dough by pushing it away from you on the work surface. Form it back into a ball and then push it away again. Once you’ve pummelled it for 5 mins, leave it to rest
  • In a medium-sized pot, boil the water (amount specified in the ingredient list) and add the vegetable stock pot. Rinse the lentils under running water for at least 30 seconds (important for improving flavour!). Pour your lentils into the boiling stock and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 10 mins before adding the coconut milk. Cook for a further 5 mins then turn off the heat.
  • To make the dal, peel and very finely chop the garlic and onion. Peel the skin from the ginger using the edge of a spoon and then chop it finely. Cut the red chilli in half lengthways, remove the seeds and finely chop.
  • Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add your onion, kale and a splash of water. Steam fry until your veggies have softened, 4-5 mins, then add your garlic, ginger and as much chilli as you dare. Cook for a couple of mins and then stir in the curry powder. Tip: You can check the heat of the chilli by touching your finger to your tongue after chopping it.
  • When your lentils are ready, add them to your kale mixture and stir together. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Finally, divide your dough into equal balls (2 per person) and roll out your chapatis until they are about ½ cm thick and as large as a big hand. Tip: If you don’t have a rolling pin you can use a wine bottle or even a tin can! Place them individually in a searing hot frying pan (without oil!) and cook on both sides until you see little dark brown spots form.
  • Once your chapatis are done, remove and plate and then toast the desiccated coconut in the same hot pan. Chop up a bit of coriander and stir it through your dal. Scatter over some more coriander and your desiccated coconut before scooping it up with your chapatis!

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