Green Lentil Dal with Quick Naan Breads

This green lentil dal with quick naan breads recipe is a hearty and flavourful Indian-inspired meal. Packed with protein and spices, it’s perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep!

It's a really delicious recipe that's quick and easy to make in under an hour, especially as it's tinned green lentils that are used for the dal.   We both love lentils and naan bread, so to be able to make this for a mid-week meal so quickly and to have leftovers for lunch or another evening meal is great.   

I've made a couple of different dals before, using red lentils, however, I'd been in the supermarket and was stocking up on different tins of beans and spotted the tins of green lentils too.   I decided I'd take a couple to try out as I'd seen a few recipes where they were used...in pasta dishes and salads.

David did some 'googling' and found this recipe on the BBC food website, which we've adapted a bit!

Enjoy it as a meal on its own or as part of a bigger selection of Indian dishes. Make the dal without the naan breads, or vice versa.

Try it out...you won't be disappointed!

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How to make this Green Lentil Dal with Quick Naan Breads

Ingredients

For the green lentil dal:

• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.5 tsp sea salt
• 2 x 400g tins green lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled (a stock pot will work too)
• 400ml cold water
• 25g fresh coriander roughly chopped
• a handful of spinach (optional)
• mango chutney, to serve

For the quick naan breads:

• 300g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 0.75 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 175g fat free Greek style plain yogurt
• 75ml cold water
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil

Instructions

1. For the dal, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and chilli flakes and fry for 20 seconds, or until the seeds start to pop.
2. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just softened. Add the garlic, ginger, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and salt and cook for 1 minute.
3. Then add the lentils, tomatoes, stock cube or pot and cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Optional - before switching the heat off, add a handful of spinach and stir until wilted.
5. Meanwhile, make the naan breads - put the flour, salt and sesame seeds into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre and add the yogurt and cold water. Mix together to form a soft dough.
6. Put the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it forms into a smooth dough. Divide it into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten each ball gently using the palm of your hand, then roll them out to 5mm thick circles.
7. Put the oven on at a low setting. Heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add 2 of the naan circles and cook them for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and puffed up. Repeat with the remaining naans, keeping the cooked naans warm in the oven.
8. Add the coriander to the dal and stir. Serve with the naan bread and some mango chutney – yum, it's really delicious!