Merrilees Parker

Feb 5, 2024 | bbc.co.uk | Maunika Gowardhan |Rick Stein |Merrilees Parker |Chetna Makan

Tip the urid dal, kidney beans and 1.6 litres/2¾ pints water into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil for 10 minutes, and then simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes until the lentils are cooked through, stirring often. Leave to cool slightly, then mash with a potato masher and set aside. Heat the ghee in another large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the asafoetida, chilli and cumin seeds. Fry for a few seconds, then add the garlic. Fry for 20 seconds. Add the onions and fry for another 10–12 minutes to soften.

Nov 16, 2023 | bbc.co.uk | Saskia Sidey |Silvana Franco |Merrilees Parker

Rinse the red lentils under cold running water, drain and set aside. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, before adding the garlic and frying for another minute until fragrant. Add the coriander stalks, cumin and chilli. Once warmed through, add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until you have a tomato sauce.

Aug 14, 2023 | bbc.co.uk | Jack Monroe |Chetna Makan |Merrilees Parker |Matt Tebbutt

Coconut dal with kidney beansThis is one of my favourite curries – it’s deceptively substantial for a vegetarian dish, and delicious hot or cold. I often make it by throwing all of the ingredients into the slow cooker at the start of the day, so I come home to a delicious creamy dinner. Serve with basmati rice. Each serving provides 555 kcal, 14g protein, 34g carbohydrates (of which 9g sugars), 37.5g fat (of which 25g saturates), 13.5g fibre and 2.1g salt.

Jul 27, 2023 | bbc.co.uk | Silvana Franco |Chris Bell |Merrilees Parker |Sarah Rossi

Microwave spinach and sweet potato dalThis easy microwave dal takes just minutes to make. It's packed with nutrition and flavour but low on energy use. In November 2023, this recipe was costed at an average of £1.46 per portion when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. The recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store-cupboard. MethodPlace the lentils, sweet potatoes, turmeric and some salt in a large microwavable bowl.

Jul 24, 2023 | bbc.co.uk | Fran Alagiah |Romy Gill |Merrilees Parker |Meera Sodha

Wash the lentils several times in clean water to remove the starch. Place the lentils in a large saucepan and add 500ml/18fl oz water, the turmeric and garlic. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for around 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes or until the lentils are cooked and the dal has thickened. Season to taste with salt. In a separate small frying pan, melt the butter with the oil on a low heat.