Roasted Aubergine & Spinach Dhal

1. Roast the Aubergine
   Preheat your oven to 200°C. Place the aubergine chunks on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle Shemin’s Chaat Masala over them. Toss to coat, then spread in a single layer. Roast until golden brown and soft, about 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through.
2. Onion Time!
   Heat a drizzle of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring often, until softened and beginning to brown, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the Flavour
   Add Shemin’s Curry Paste and a splash of water, cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato passata, red lentils, 700ml of water, vegetable or chicken stock cube, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a splash of water.
4. Cook the Rice
   While the dal is cooking, bring 600ml of water to the boil in a saucepan. Add 0.25 tsp of salt, then stir in the basmati rice. Lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the rice covered for another 10 minutes to steam.
5. Finish the Dal
   Roughly chop the coriander, including the stalks. Once the lentils are soft, add the baby spinach a handful at a time, stirring until wilted. Stir through half the roasted aubergine, half the Greek yoghurt, and half the coriander. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
6. Serve!
   Divide the rice between plates, top with the dal, and add the remaining roasted aubergine and yoghurt. Garnish with the remaining coriander, serve with Shemin’s Indian Breads and enjoy!

Tips:

1. Monitor Cooking Time: Red split lentils cook quickly (about 20-25 minutes), so keep an eye on them. They should become soft and mushy but still retain some shape. If they overcook, they can turn into a paste. Start checking around the 15-minute mark, and add a splash of water if the mixture becomes too thick.