Chickpea Dhal
The cost of food continues to rise - increasing by 0.9% between May and June this year, according to the Office of National Statistics. As a result, students preparing for university must learn how to make healthy meals at a cut price.
It is possible to make dinner for £1.50 per portion or less, without compromising on its nutritional content. Students need healthy, balanced meals, because it is diet that provides the brain with plenty of nutrients and the body with enough energy to cope with an essay crisis or a big night out.
Using canned food is an easy and affordable way to improve a student’s diet. It is often cheaper than fresh equivalents, but still contains plenty of vitamins and nutrients.
Canned salmon, for example, contains more calcium than fresh salmon fillets, while canned tomatoes are a better source of the antioxidant lycopene.
What’s more, the ingredients are cooked in the can once it is sealed, locking in nutrients that would be lost over time with fresh food left in the fridge.
Chickpea Dhal
Serves: 4 as a side dish
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
410g can lentils, drained
300g can sliced mushrooms, drained
410g can chickpeas, drained
25g butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp coriander, chopped
Method
- In a large saucepan melt the butter, then add the onion and garlic and fry for five minutes until soft.
- Add the turmeric and cumin seeds, and fry for a further minute.
- Next add the lentils and fry for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
- With a potato masher, crush the lentils until you have a creamy paste.
- Add the mushrooms and chickpeas, then allow the dhal to cook for a further five minutes.
- Serve garnished with fresh coriander.
Hints and Tips
Canned lentils and mushrooms are great store-cupboard essentials that can be used to bulk up meals such as curries, casseroles and pasta dishes.
Tagged in Recipes