Broccoli and peanut soup, Lentil Dal, Parathas, Raitha

Breakfast

Eggs scrambled with coconut oil, butter and milk

Lunch

Broccoli and peanut soup
Serves 4
Large head of broccoli
Onion
Pint of stock (I use chicken but vegetable would do)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Dash of cream

Peel and chop onion. Saute in the butter. Wash and chop broccoli and add to pan when onion is softened. Add stock and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Add peanut butter and blend. Add a swirl of cream to the bowls when serving.
Variation - if you have no stock then use a pint of milk instead and leave out cream.

Popular with my kids as long as I call it peanut butter soup and forget to mention the broccoli!


Dinner

Lentil dal with parathas and cucumber raitha

Dal
Serves 4
7 oz red split lentils or puy lentils (washed and soaked overnight)
1 1/2 pints water
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
2oz ghee or unsalted butter
Onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground corriander
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
salt and pepper

Drain lentils and transfer to large saucepan. Add water and tumeric and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface and simmer on a low heat for 1-1 1/2 hours, until lentils are tender and mushy.
Heat ghee/butter and fry onion and garlic until soft and browned. Add spices and chilli and cook until they smell wonderful (2-3 minutes). Stir onions into lentils and add salt and pepper to taste. If using red lentils you can stir them up to a mushy paste if you like, or leave them more intact.

Paratha
Serves 4 , or one of my kids!

6oz wholemeal flour (preferably fresh ground)
6 1/2 oz plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
About 10 tablespoons coconut oil or melted ghee
7 fl oz water

Mix flours and salt in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of oil and rub in until it looks like course breadcrumbs. Add the water a bit at a time until you have a soft ball (takes 5-7 oz usually). Turn out onto a clean surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Rub with 1/4 tsp oil and cover with plastic. Leave for at least 3 hours.
Put a large cast iron frying pan over a medium-low heat. Divide dough into 12 equal balls. Using flour where needed, roll the first ball out into a 6 inch circle. Brush half of the circle with 1/4 tsp of the oil and fold in half. Brush the top with a little more oil and fold again. Roll out again into a triangle with 7 inch sides. Place in frying pan and brush the top with 1tsp oil. Cook for about 30 seconds on each side - the parathas should have reddish brown spots on them. When they are cooked, put them on a plate with another plate inverted over the top, or cover with tin foil.

Cucumber raitha

300 ml natural yogurt
1/4 Grated cucumber
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 tsp mint sauce

Toast cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until darker brown and aromatic. Mix all ingredients together and allow to sit in the fridge a while for the flavours to combine.

No pics today - it all got eaten too fast!