Sweet Potato and Lentil Dahl

Dahl is something we have every couple of weeks , I find it a strangely soothing dish. Here the addition of some sweet potato makes it a filling meal with some pitta bread or chappati. I leave the seeds whole  since I like the crunch but you could definitely grind the coriander.

The reason we have sweet potatoes is this month we started weaning Em . Of course had visions of her happily gobbling my home made purees instead of course she has rejected both freshly prepared 
lentils and sweet potato in favour of horrible wallpaper paste tasting
baby rice. She actually blows raspberries with food that displeases her sending it flying in my direction, with the baby rice she grabs the spoon and jams it into her mouth. Here she is eating her gloop.

Sweet Potato and Lentil  Dahl

1 large onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tbsp of sunflower oil
2 green chillis left whole
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of coriander seeds
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of tumeric
1 tsp of nigella seeds
1 tsp of fenugreek
1 tsp of Asafoetida
1 tsp of tumeric
1 tsp of paprika
200g of  red lentils
200g of sweet potato peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes

1. Fry the onions until softened and begging to brown in the oil
2. add the garlic , tumeric, paprika , asafoetida, cumin, coriander and mustard seeds
3. Fry until the onions and coated and the scent is rising
4. Add the lentils and butternut squash stir and quickly add enough boiling water to cover the lentils plus a cm
5. Cover and simmer on a low heat until the sweet potato is soft and the lentils have absorbed the water
6. Once cooked add the nigella seeds and salt if required