Not exactly photogenic – but personality means more – dahl

An easy curry accompaniment, or spruce it up with a handful of frozen prawns and fresh asparagus. If you’re trying to cook on a camp fire in a gale in the Lake District – no, the teaser Instagram photo wasn’t taken by me – then some frozen peas might suffice instead for colour. Lovely with cubed squash in the autumn too, for a Fantastic Mr Fox Dahl. Barely adapted from Nisha Katona’s intriguing book, The Spice Tree

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 green chilli
• 1 bay leaf
• 11/2 teaspoons Nigella seeds
• 11/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 2 onions, diced
• 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 lemon, juice
• a handful of frozen peas; or frozen prawns; or asparagus, sliced – optional extras

Simmer the lentils in a saucepan with the smushed tomatoes and water for around 20 minutes, till tender. In the meantime, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the green chilli, bay leaf and the Nigella and coriander seeds. Fry for 30 seconds or so, till the seeds start to bounce around. Turn the heat down and add the onions, salt and chilli powder and fry over a gentle heat until the onions are soft, sweet and golden. Stir in the cooked lentils and lemon juice, plus frozen peas, prawns, raw asparagus, or whatever you fancy, to cook for the last minute or two. Very forgiving dish – you can always add a little more water or tomatoes (probably half a tin over) to get a loose risotto-like consistency.