Introduce Your Kids To Indian Food: Delicious Dhal Tadka Recipe

Dhal Is Delicious – The Kids Love It!

Indian food is delicious. And totally kid-friendly. Introduce them to mild eastern spices with a warming dhal featuring the best of Indian flavours – warming ginger, garlic, coconut milk and fragrant spice (all super ingredients at fighting off coughs and colds – ideal for the back to school season!). A great way of making sure your little ones have protein without overloading on meat, this dhal is delicious with rice or naan bread and a dollop of plain yoghurt on the side and is a fab and easy flavour adventure for the whole fam. Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients – it is so so simple to make this nutritious, soul warming dish.

Ingredients:

• 200 g split moong dhal
• 200 g masoor dhal
• 3 carrots finely chopped
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 3 cm piece chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 teasps turmeric
• 4 teasp nigella (onion) seeds
• 1 teasp ground coriander
• 1 teasp ground cumin
• 1 teasp roughly ground mixed curry spices (south african malay mix)
• 1 level teasp salt
• 1 organic stock cube
• 1 can of good coconut milk optional

Directions:

• Wash and soak the lentils whilst preparing the veggies
• In a large saucepan place the chopped carrots, onions, garlic, ginger and all the spices except for the stock cube.
• Sweat [Sweat =  to slowly cook chopped vegetables in butter or oil in turn drawing out their rich flavours – used typically in soup, sauce and risotto bases – sofritto in Italian] gently for 15 mins in a covered pan over a low to medium heat.
• Drain dahl and add to vegetables stirring to coat each lentil with flavour.
• Add the coconut milk and 1 can of water.
• Stir in the dissolved stock cube.
• Simmer on a low heat until the dahl is very soft, about 30 minutes.  If the dahl sticks add 2-3 tablespoons water.

This is a winning dish in our household and I have no doubt that it will soon become a favourite in yours! Enjoy mamas!

Fiona is a Chef, creative, food stylist, inveterate foodologist and fabulous mama to 2 gorgeous kids. Her expertise and experience are phenomenal; from catering and cooking for the Ferrari Formula 1 team at the height of its glory, to cooking as a private Chef to VIPs and media celebrities, teaching Masterclass food styling seminars and workshops, and writing regular columns and features in Dubai’s Good Housekeeping and Spinneys Food Magazine.