Lentil and Potato Dhal

A few weeks ago I wrote a post asking for help with ideas for vegetarian meals. I have really appreciated all the replies, and will be trying out the ideas. I love the support in Blogland! Lily from Gingham and Daisies very kindly sent me some recipes using lentils. I have cooked with lentils before, but I have never made them taste good! I was a little unsure how the kids would take to them, but I was determined to have a go. One of Lily's recipes was for Lentil and Potato Dhal. It was a spiced up version of a Delia Smith recipe, available here.

Lily's version included chilli flakes and fresh chillies as well as the Madras curry powder. We split along gender lines in our house; DD and I like our food spicy while DH and DS are a little more cautious. In the end I went for a more gentle curry, and served it with some rice (and trepidation).

I was really surprised at the family's reaction. Everyone loved it and cleared their plates! DH didn't even realise he was eating lentils. I am feeling a lot more confident about cooking pulses now, and I may be trying lentil moussaka this week. I am definitely going to be including vegetarian food in the meal plan at least once a week. Thank you Lily for the inspiration!