Three ways to cook with lentils: From dal makhini to spiced lentil nut roast

Stereotypically the preserve of vegetarians and healthy eaters, the legume in fact offers fantastic flavour and variety, and these recipes from Great British Chefs should give you all the inspiration you need to get your finger on the pulse

Pancetta adds a salty depth to puy lentils with cod

Lentils have become popular as a health food staple, since they are packed with protein and fibre, are simple to prepare and their array of colours add a fantastic vibrance to any meal, but lentils need not be only for the health-conscious. The legume's versatility and earthy notes make it a popular ingredient in countries as far-flung as India, Ethiopia, the Americas, Italy, Turkey and here in Britain, and it is prepared in a variety of ways with a variety of meats, broths, vegetables and spices.

Cod with lentils by Eric Chavot

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 4

Cod

4 cod fillets, each weighing 150g
Olive oil
Salt to season
Black pepper to season

Lentils

300g of puy lentils
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
150g of pancetta
10g of butter
10ml of vegetable oil
Salt
Pepper

To serve

50g of pancetta
10ml of sherry vinegar
50g of baby carrots, sliced and pre-boiled
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
10g of butter
10ml of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.

For the lentils, heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and sweat for 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, celery and pancetta. Sweat for 5 minutes, then drain to remove any excess fat.

Line a large bowl with a piece of muslin cloth and pour all of the cooked ingredients into the bowl. Tie the muslin loosely to encase the ingredients before adding to a large pan. Add the lentils, cover with water then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Once the lentils are cooked, season with salt and pepper and leave to cool. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the muslin bag over a bowl to catch all of the juices. Discard the muslin and vegetables and reserve the juices.

Place a frying pan over a high heat and add oil. Once hot, add the pancetta and fry for 1-2 minutes, then pour in the sherry vinegar to deglaze. Add the lentils and pre-boiled carrots to the pan with a splash of the reserved cooking juices. Finish with the butter, olive oil and spring onions and keep to one side while you cook the cod.

Season the fillets of cod and place skin-side down onto a baking tray. Cook in the oven for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove the fish from the oven, carefully flip the cod over and leave to rest for a few minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and then serve onto plates with the lentils.

This is a wonderful Punjabi black dal to cosy up to on a rainy day

Dal makhani by Alfred Prasad

Cooking time: 3 hours plus 1 for soaking
Serves 4

250g of black lentils
1 tbsp of ginger paste
1 tbsp of garlic paste
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tsp chilli powder
​200g of canned plum tomatoes, blended
40g of unsalted butter
½ tsp Kasoori methi
4 tbsp of single cream
2l water

To serve

4 knobs of butter

Wash and then soak the black lentils in warm water for 1 hour and strain​. Transfer the lentils to a large thick-bottomed pan, add the 2 litres of water, vegetable oil and ginger and garlic paste.

Bring to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours or until the lentils are soft. Next add the chilli powder, blended plum tomatoes, unsalted butter and Kasoori methi.

Simmer for a further 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. This can be chilled and stored in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. To finish, reheat the required quantity of the dahl, add the single cream, season to taste and serve hot. Top with a knob of butter.

This delicious spiced lentil nut roast recipe is a far cry from the bland, dry nut roasts that plague the memories of many a vegetarian

Spiced lentil, nut and vegetable roast by Hari Ghotra

Cooking time: 60 minutes
Serves 6

1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 dried chilli
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Fresh ginger, 3cm piece
​200g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
​100g of paneer, grated
1 large carrot, grated
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
½ tsp ground turmeric
​100g of red lentils
2 tomatoes, chopped
​300ml of water
​100g of walnuts, finely chopped
​100g of cashew nuts, finely chopped
​100g of mature cheddar, grated
1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp of ghee
Salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. To begin, line the base and sides of a 1.5 litre loaf tin with parchment paper. In a large frying pan, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds and dried chilli. Cook until fragrant.

Add the onions and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until they start to soften. Place the garlic and ginger in the pan and stir for several minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender.

Mix in the paneer and grated carrot and cook the mixture for 3 further minutes, then add the chilli powder and turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute, or until they begin to break down, then add the water and season with salt.

Pour in the lentils and bring to the boil. Simmer over a low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is fairly dry (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Roughly chop the nuts and stir into pan with the coriander and cheese.

Once fully combined, spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down. Cover the loaf tin with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until firm when pressed gently. Serve immediately.

Recipes courtesy of Great British Chefs. Visit their site for more delicious lentil recipes