Root by Rob Howell

Author:Rob Howell
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472976475
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2021-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Caramelised onion & shallot tart

This is a really good winter dish when greens are in short supply – comforting and delicious and perfect when served with this wholesome yet refreshing cauliflower ‘couscous’.

You can make the dhal in advance if you like – it is good served straight away, but I always think dishes like this are even better when you go back to them a few hours later, or even after a few days.

Red lentil dhal

WITH ALMOND & LIME CAULIFLOWER ‘COUSCOUS’

SERVES 4–6

FOR THE DHAL

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoons cooking oil

4 carrots, peeled and diced

4 onions, diced

2 roasted garlic bulbs, flesh squeezed out

1 tablespoon onion seeds

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon mild curry powder

250g red lentils, rinsed and drained

salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS

75g nibbed or flaked almonds

1 cauliflower, broken into florets

zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime

2 tablespoons chopped coriander

2 tablespoons pickled mustard seeds

1 tablespoon first-press rapeseed oil

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/Gas Mark 5.

Place the nibbed or flaked almonds for the cauliflower couscous on one baking tray and the fennel seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds for the dhal on another. Roast the almonds for about 12–15 minutes, until golden brown, and the seeds for about 10 minutes, until golden. Remove both from the oven and set aside to cool.

Tip the toasted seeds into a mortar and grind with the pestle until broken up into smaller pieces (or use a food processor, or a spice grinder, if you have one, pulsing until the spices have broken up). Set aside until needed.

Heat the cooking oil in a large saucepan over a medium–high heat. When hot, add the carrots, onions, roasted garlic, onion seeds and onion and garlic powders. Season with salt and pepper, then cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if the pan looks dry and stirring well, until the vegetables are evenly cooked. Add the toasted, crushed fennel, coriander and cumin seeds and continue to cook for a further 2–3 minutes, then add the cayenne, turmeric, curry powder, red lentils and 1 litre of water. Season again with a good amount of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30–40 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the dhal has thickened. Check the seasoning, then remove from the heat.

While the dhal is cooking, make the cauliflower couscous. Place the cauliflower florets and stem into a food processor and blitz briefly, until the cauliflower resembles grains. Don’t blend too much, as you will end up with a wet paste rather than something like couscous.

Tip the cauliflower couscous into a mixing bowl and add the toasted almonds, lime zest and juice, chopped coriander, pickled mustard seeds or wholegrain mustard, and rapeseed oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the dhal warm with the cauliflower couscous over the top. Or, if you’re making the dhal and couscous as part of a larger meal, serve both separately with more curries and side dishes.

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