Sea-weed Red Lentil Dahl

By Andrea Cullen

• Soaking time 24 hours (optional and not essential)
• Ready in under 30 minutes
• Servings: 8; less if you are a hungry beast 🙂
• Will freeze for later

When I cook; I am time spare and I aim to make things as healthy as possible. This invariably means adding in unusual health foods to normal meals to create something that is giving me more nutrient bang per mouthful. Not everyone is as adventurous as me; for example you COULD make a red lentil Dahl as it says on the label or you COULD add seaweed, celery, or other ingredients such as spinach or nettles depending on what you have available to tweak your recipe to something even more nutritious awesome. Go for it!

This is an example of how ANY meal can be amended to include more nutritious foods without making things too complex… even something like mashed potatoes can be improved on by the addition of spinach or herbs…. get inventive; you may surprise yourself!

The following links are helpful for further information:

Green Saffron spices:

Wild Irish Sea Veg:

AlgAran Organic Sea Vegetables:

 Bonus points:

• This dish is simple to prepare and cooks relatively quickly. (The lentils do not have to be pre-soaked).
• Prepare ahead. The quantities here make a large volume that is suitable for freezing in smaller portions for a later date when you may have less time to prepare a meal. Simply remove from the freezer the morning you plan to consume for dinner and heat in a saucepan on the hob later once defrosted.
• Nutrition bomb. Seaweeds are very rich in nutrition; without boring you the important ones include dietary fiber, thyroid friendly iodine, trace elements, most minerals, and Vitamin K. Seaweed is very low in calories and is a helpful food for colon detoxification.
• Environmentally friendly. Seaweed is local, sustainable, and if you know where and how to pick your own then it is a FREE food.
• Low Glycaemic load. This meal is an excellent meal for those with blood sugar problems or simply eating for health and fitness as it is low in glycaemic load, is very rich in fibre, and hence satisfying.
• Carb loading. If you are an athlete consider stacking a small portion of seaweed red lentil dahl onto your rice, root vegetables or other grain dishes to add nutritious carbohydrates, minerals and antioxidants to your carb loading plan.
• Weight control. Serve with a side of steamed vegetables and if you require further protein then a small portion of protein (chicken or turkey would work well; or a poached egg cracked in the middle) to create a perfectly balanced meal for weight loss or weight maintenance.
• May be served cold or hot.
• Snack attack food consider stacking into raw lettuce or cabbage leaves to make a healthy and nutritious snack.

Serving suggestions:

If you are watching your calories and carbs then serve this curry on steamed vegetables or steamed leafy greens such as spinach, kale, chard, or cabbage.

If you are an athlete or someone with higher energy demands then I suggest serving this on rice, millet, quinoa or in a baked potato with a side of spinach, broccoli, cabbage, or chard. You may wish to add a further serving of protein such as poached eggs, chicken or turkey.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of organic red lentils
• Water – filtered
• ½ to 1 can of full fat organic coconut milk (depending on how rich you would like your curry sauce. Coconut milk fats are ‘healthy fats’)
• Green Saffron red lentil Dahl sachet

• 1 chilli – finely sliced seeds included
• 2 cloves of garlic – minced or crushed and finely chopped
• 1-inch root ginger – finely chopped
• Butter or virgin coconut oil

• Cherry tomatoes – rinsed or 1 can of organic tomatoes (tomatoes are best fresh or from GLASS jars
• 3-4 sticks of celery – washed and finely sliced
• Seaweed – I used AlgAran organic seaweed seaveg salad and Wild Irish Sea Veg Sugar kelp – chopped with a scissors. If you do not have seaweed to hand consider spinach, chard, cabbage etc.
• Optional teaspoon sugar (with this small amount it makes no odds if you use sugar or a ‘healthier’ sugar alternative

• To serve – Fresh coriander – washed and shredded
• To serve – Squeeze of lime juice

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Directions:

1. Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear. Put lentils in a pot with enough water to cover and allow to soak overnight or for 24 hours. This (over-night soaking) step is optional.
2. Rinse the soaked lentils and replace the water with fresh water and coconut milk enough to barely cover the lentils. Bring to a boil and then gently simmer.
3. Add the chopped seaweeds and celery to the simmering lentils and cover with a lid.
4. Meanwhile sauté the garlic, chili, and ginger in butter or virgin coconut oil until transparent. Remove from the heat.
5. Add the green saffron spice mix to the garlic, chili and ginger mix. Stir for a few minutes to warm the spices through and then toss this mixture into the lentils along with the tomatoes.
6. Keep the lentil mixture on a low simmering heat for a further 15 to 20 minutes approximately adding more water as necessary until the lentils are cooked through and soft to touch.
7. Season to taste with optional teaspoon sugar if the lentils taste too bitter; salt (taste first as seaweed is salty!), pepper, a squeeze of lime juice and sprinkle with shredded coriander before serving.
8. Serve on steamed vegetables, or steamed rice, millet, quinoa, or a baked potato. Sprinkle with shredded coriander before serving.
9. Enjoy!

Enjoy! Here is a recent photo from my holiday travels 🙂

Love Andrea