This recipe is from my new book, Healthy Eating for Life.
I was going to try out a new dish using the cooked Puy lentils left over from lunch yesterday, but changed my mind–and settled on this soupy supper instead.
I found a small cabbage sitting in the fridge, patiently waiting its turn…
Red lentils with cabbage and tomatoes
Rose Elliott adapted this from a recipe in Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Vegetarian Cookery. I have tweaked it a bit more.
for 4
250gms/8oz red lentils
2 1/4 pints/1300ml stock–I use organic vegetable stock cubes
1/3 tsp turmeric
375gms/12oz tinned [canned] tomatoes–chopped
- Rinse the lentils thoroughly.
- Put them in a saucepan with the stock and the turmeric and bring up to the boil.
- Cook at a gentle simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes then set aside.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp curry powder–(your choice how hot!)
1 onion–chopped
a small cabbage–outer leaves removed, quartered, cored and shredded
Juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper
Parsley or better still fresh coriander–chopped to sprinkle over
- Heat the oil in a new pan.
- Add the mustard seeds and cook them until they start to pop–a couple of minutes.
- Mix in the curry powder.
- Add the onion and the cabbage and mix everything together well.
- Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the wilted cabbage to the lentils.
- Bring the mixture up to the simmer.
- Leave it to simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the lemon juice.
- Sprinkle over the parsley or coriander (none available chez nous ce soir!)
It’s best served hot.
Robin Ellis 
That’s lunch sorted for tomorrow but no mustard seeds 😦 Will be out in the morning will look for some. 🙂
They make a difference–hope you find some.
I found a “Indian Grocery Store” called Santos Spice Products near where I live which has a myriad of spices including black mustard seeds! If you have something like that in your area, it is a great find!
Hello Robin, so nice to have found your delicious Cooking Webiste. Have just this minuit finished watching QE1 Video for the 7th time & sorry to see your head cut off, but delighted to see you here fit & well. How wonderful that you LOVE to cook. So do I & I am looking forward to trying out some of your recipies. Oh yes, I also have the Poldark Videos which I watched last week again, it never ceases to delight. I do not have diabetes but at the age of 38 was diagnosed with arthritis in my knees & feet. I am very particular about food, always have been & can not wait to try your dishes. I notice that you have worked in Shaw’s Widowers Houses, ‘which part ?’ did you play any in any other Shaw Plays? I ask because I am a Shaw expert & for eight delightful years, was the Custodian of & lived at Shaw’s home, Shaw’s Corner & now own the GBS info/research service. I am so glad to have found your site, it is as fresh as the food you portray & I am going to try out all of your recipies. I live on the Isle of Wight, we have some wonderful fresh island produce which I will use to cook your dishes. I will let you know how I get on. In the meantime, a BIG THANK YOU not just for these delightful dishes, but also for your excellant performances in all that you have done & giving me hours of relaxation & cultural delight in the videos dramas that I enjoy watching again & again.
My very best wishes to you 🌹
Diane Uttley
Isle of Wight
Hi Diane and thank you for your kind comments. I played the young man in W Hs but forget his name. Nottingham, Edinburgh and the Royal Court 1970. I hope you find recipes that suit you.