6
SPINACH DHAL SERVES 4
• 500g red lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups shredded spinach
• 2 tbsp peanut or extra light olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3-4 fresh chillies, sliced (more or less, to taste)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp sea salt
Put the lentils in a large pan with 4 cups of cold water, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and
simmer, stirring occasionally, till the lentils are mushy. Add boiling water as necessary, during
cooking, to stop the lentils drying out. Add the spinach, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frypan, and fry the mustard, cumin, turmeric, onion and chillies till soft (a few
minutes), then add them to the lentils and greens, add the salt, and stir for a few minutes.
Natural yoghurt, with a little fresh chopped mint stirred through, makes a nice accompaniment.
CHOCOLATE VELVET DESSERT SERVES 810
• 1 tbsp powdered gelatine
• ¼ cup very hot water
• 1¾ cups long-life milk
• 4 large free range eggs, separated
• either 3 tbsp each of cocoa and caster sugar or 6 tbsp drinking chocolate powder
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 500ml thickened cream
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• whipped cream, violets, rose petals to garnish (optional)
Mix the gelatine with a little cold water, add the hot water, and stir till thoroughly dissolved.
Heat the milk in a saucepan, and whisk in the cocoa and sugar or the drinking chocolate.
Beat the egg yolks with the ½ cup of caster sugar till pale and uy, then beat in the vanilla.
Remove the milk from the heat, stir in the yolk mixture, return to the heat, and cook very gently
till the mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, and stir in the gelatine.
Strain into a bowl, and chill till mixture begins to thicken. Whisk 500ml of cream with the ¼ cup
caster sugar till sti. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt till sti peaks
form. Fold both into the chocolate mixture, then pour into prepared individual moulds or one
large mould, and chill till rm. Turn out, and garnish with a little whipped cream.
HOT CHOCOLATE SERVES 2
• 90g high quality dark chocolate
• 1 tbsp caster sugar (or to taste)
• 1 vanilla pod, split lengthwise
• 300 ml whole milk
• 100ml whipping cream, whipped
• freshly grated chocolate or cocoa
Break the chocolate into a pan, add the sugar, vanilla bean and milk, and heat gently, stirring
constantly, till the chocolate has melted and dissolved into the milk. Remove the vanilla pod.
