Shrimp dhansak

Serves 8

Ingredients:

12oz (350g) red lentils

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil or 1 tbsp ghee

6 cardamom pods, crushed

3 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp cinnamon

2 onions, finely chopped

4in (10cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3–4 green chiles, seeded and finely sliced

1 ½lb (675g) shelled, uncooked colossal shrimp

1 fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

8 tomatoes, skinned and coarsely chopped

handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Method:

1 Put the lentils in a large heavybased pot, season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then pour in enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until soft. Add hot water if the lentils begin to dry out. Drain and set aside.

2 Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil or ½ tablespoon of the ghee in a large heavy-based frying pan, add the dried spices, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until the seeds pop. Stir in the onions, ginger, garlic, and chiles and cook for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant.

3 Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the shrimp. Raise the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes or until pink and cooked. Stir in the pineapple, add the lentils and tomatoes and a little hot water so the mixture is slightly soupy, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season again with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, stir in the cilantro, and serve.

Shrimp dhansak