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Photograph of All-in-one nigella-spiced whole tomato dhal.

IndianAll-in-one nigella-spiced whole tomato dhal

Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins | Cook 30 mins

In this simple one-pot dhal, the cumin-spiced onion softens while the dhal cooks and infuses with the whole cherry tomatoes and their vines – hands free and completely delicious. You could add a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream at the end for richness if you wish, but it is perfect as it is with flatbreads or buttery basmati rice.

Source: The Quick Roasting Tin

Ingredients

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Imperial

x0.5

400 g cherry tomatoes on the vine
140 g red lentils, rinsed
3 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds
500 ml boiling water
1 tsp sea salt flakes (optional)
1 onion, finely sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 lemon, juice only
Flatbreads or basmati rice, to serve

Instructions

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Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Tip the cherry tomatoes and their vines into a small lidded casserole dish or roasting tin (I separate these to make the vines easier to fish out at the end), then add the lentils, nigella seeds, boiling water and salt (if using). Prod with a spoon to make sure the vines are submerged in the water.
Dress the sliced onion with the ground cumin, coriander and oil, then scatter this over the tomato and lentil mixture. Cover with a lid or tightly scrunch a double layer of foil over the tin - you want a really good seal here, or the lentils won’t cook - then transfer to the oven and cook for .
After , remove the vines, then give the dhal a good whisk. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and serve with rice or flatbreads.
NOTE: The dhal will thicken a lot as it cools down and can be made ahead and warmed up, in fact it’s even better the next day.

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