Spicy lentils with cabbage

This recipe uses Puy lentils, but you could substitute any beans you like, either soaked and cooked yourself, or 2 tins of ready cooked. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 250g Puy lentils
• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• seeds from 5 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp coriander seed
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 hot fresh chilli - or more if you like spice - seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 150ml coconut milk
• fresh coriander - a good handful - chopped
• juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
• 1/2 a large green cabbage - kale or spinach would also be good - finely shredded

Method

Cook the lentils in unsalted water till just soft, then drain and set aside. Meanwhile, fry the onions until soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic to fry a little. Crush the cardamom, coriander and mustard seeds with a pestle and mortar, then add to the onion mixture with the cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper. Allow the spices to toast a little, stirring to stop them sticking. Add the chopped chilli, the tomatoes, 250ml of water and the cooked lentils. Simmer over a low heat for about half an hour. Mix in the coconut milk and heat through, then the coriander leaves and lime or lemon juice. Briefly blanch the cabbage and stir into the mixture.