Red lentil dhal, carrot, sweet potato

Most dhals are served as part of a banquet, so we've added chunky vegies to make it a complete meal. Cooking Time 30 minutes Ingredients (serves 4) 1 onion 2 carrots 2 (400g) thin orange sweet potatoes (kumara) 60ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic 4 sprigs curry leaves (see top tips) 1 tbs curry powder 400g can kidney beans 400g can cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes 200g (1 cup) red lentils 1/4 bunch coriander or flat-leaf parsley 1 1/2 tbs red wine vinegar Greek-style yoghurt and flatbread, to serve Method Peel and finely chop onion. Wash carrots and sweet potatoes, then cut into 1cm pieces with skins on. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until softened. Meanwhile, drain and rinse kidney beans. Peel and crush garlic and strip curry leaves from sprigs into pan. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add kidney beans, tomatoes, lentils and 750ml (3 cups) boiling water. Bring to a simmer, cover surface with a round of baking paper, then cook for a further 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. If mixture is too thick, add a little more water. Meanwhile, roughly chop coriander leaves and stems. Add coriander and vinegar, stir to combine, then season with salt. Divide dhal among bowls, top with yoghurt and serve with flatbread. Notes The red lentils make a nice change to yellow. Fresh curry leaves are aromatic and have a curry-like flavour. Available from selected supermarkets and greengrocers. The dhal will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. For a dhal variation, add a handful of corn kernels, spinach or chopped green beans during the last few minutes of cooking.from masterchefmagazine