Dhal

Dhal is an Indian staple made from split pulses (think red lentils, green lentils, spilt peas, mung beans, kidney beans, chickpeas) and a wonderful dish to be enjoyed by vegetarians and omnivores alike. It is so simple to make and packed full of flavour.

Protein complementation. This is a term many people have heard but do not actually know what it means. When we talk about protein what we are really interested in is the building blocks that make up the protein, which are called amino acids. Think of these amino acids like letters of the alphabet and the words they make up like to full protein. There are eight essential amino acids i.e. eight that cannot be made by our bodies and therefore we obtain through dietary sources. Food products that contain all essential amino acids in high quantities are often regarded as high quality proteins and usually come from animal products - think eggs, chicken, milk, beef, etc. Plant foods such as beans, lentils, grains, nuts and seeds, however, are lacking one or more essential amino acids and are often referred to as incomplete proteins. Although you can manipulate this by combining two incomplete proteins to make a complete protein. Take for example this dhal, the lacking amino acid (methionine) in the lentils would be completed by the higher quantities found in rice. Thus, combining certain plant foods will provide a better amino acid profile required to make new proteins compared by eating the foods by themselves.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1tbsp. olive oil

2 stalks of lemongrass

1 small red onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2cm ginger, grated

1/2-1 red chilli

160g red lentils

400g tin coconut milk

400ml vegetable stock

100g cherry tomatoes, sliced

1 lime, juiced

To Serve:

coriander, chopped

Method:

1). Bash the lemongrass using a rolling pin. This splits the stalk and enables the oils to seep into the dish.

2). Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the lemongrass, onion, garlic, ginger and chill (I slice through the chilli, whilst keeping the stalk intact so the flavour imparts into the dish but so I can remove the chilli at the end of cooking). Cook for approx. 5 minutes.

3). Add the lentils, coconut milk and half the stock. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the remaining stock and simmer for a further 15 minutes or so, until the lentils are cooked.

4). Add the tomatoes, lime juice and adjust the seasoning. Serve with rice and some coriander. If you like a bit more spice chuck on some chilli flakes.

5). Enjoy!

Nutritional Composition (per serving – without rice):

Energy (kcal): 283

Fat (g): 22

Saturates (g): 17

Carbohydrates (g): 14

Sugars (g): 4.8

Protein (g): 6

The Sports Chef