Sri Lanka Part One - My Second Home and Love for Dahl
In 2013 I embarked on an adventure of a lifetime. I had just graduated from University and had no idea what career path I wanted to take. So, I decided I'd do some volunteering abroad and get some travelling in before making any decisions. I volunteered with an organisation called SLV.Global who run Mental Health Placements abroad. Being a Psychology student it was the perfect fit for me.
I spent 12 weeks in Sri Lanka volunteering at a psychiatric facility, working with individuals with special needs and teaching English within the community. I'd volunteered throughout my studies but getting to experience a new culture and country was so eye opening and rewarding. Don't get me wrong it was hard work! Sweating from your knee caps because you've been running activities and doing the hokey cokey for 4 hours a day, in 35-degree heat, isn't as easy as it sounds!
During the week, we lived with a local family; they looked after us, cooked for us, laughed with us and soon became our family away from home. I still to this day cherish the time I got to spend with them and consider them my second family. I think one of my favourite parts was the food (of course!). When I arrived, I wasn't a huge fan of spicey food but you soon have to get used to that, especially when living in a country that's staple diet is rice and curry. I soon discovered that the spices differed from what I'd experienced in the UK. Rather than setting your mouth on fire and making your eyes water, you could actually taste the flavours in the food. It fast became my new-found love!
One of my favourite dishes, Amma (means Mum in Singhalese), made for us was dahl. I'd never eaten it before and boy had I been missing out! We'd usually have a few different types of curry with rice each evening for dinner and dahl was a frequent dish at the table. It continues to be a go to for me back in the UK and is great to make in bulk and pop in the freezer. I usually have it as part of a bigger meal or just with a naan bread at lunch. I've adapted the recipe slightly to include a few extra ingredients, you can easily do the same. What I love about dahl is there are sooo many variations you can really make it your own and tailor it to your taste buds. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
I've been back to Sri Lanka twice since my first visit so stay tuned for parts two and three. I've got some more great recipes coming your way!
Sri Lankan Lentil Dahl
Ingredients
250g red lentils
1 tin coconut milk
2 large tomatoes
4 large handfuls of spinach
3 garlic cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 onion
2 green chillies
3-5 curry leaves
1/2tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 chicken oxo cube (or chicken stock powder)
1/2 tsp mustard
Method
- Soak the lentils in water for 5-10 minutes.
- Whilst the lentils are soaking; roughly chop the tomatoes, slice the onion into small pieces and chop the garlic into small pieces.
- Drain and rinse the lentils then add to a large saucepan.
- Add the coconut milk, 300ml of water, tomatoes, onions and garlic, stir through.
- Snap the cinnamon stick into 3-4 pieces and add to the saucepan.
- Keep the chillies whole and put a single slice vertically down each one (this releases the flavour) Add to the saucepan.
- Add the curry leaves along with all the seasoning and spices. Mix well.
- Put the saucepan on a medium heat and cook for around 20 minutes, stirring regularly. If necessary, add more water as the lentils cook and absorb it. I like my Dahl quite thick but you can alter the consistency depending on what you prefer.
- Once the lentils have cooked through, add the spinach and stir through until wilted.
- Serve and enjoy!
