Super Green Saag Daal With Crispy Curry Spiced Tofu, Coconut Yoghurt, Pink Pickled Onion & Basmati Rice

Method

1. Take out a small saucepan, a large saucepan and a large frying pan.
2. Place the basmati rice into one of your saucepans and cover with 1.5x its volume in water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and leave to steam with the lid on until the rest of the dish is ready.
3. Add the saag daal sauce to a large saucepan along with 200ml of water, then place over medium heat. Stir in the red lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add a splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick or starts to stick to the bottom. When the daal is almost ready, add the baby spinach to a blender with 100ml of water (double the amount for a four-person portion) and blend until smooth and vibrant green. Alternatively, you can use a mixing bowl with a stick blender. Stir the green sauce through the daal and cook for 1-2 minutes. If you don't have a blender, you can finely chop the spinach instead and stir it into the daal to wilt. We deliver the spinach and sauce separately and add at the end of cooking to keep the super green colour, but wilting it is just as delicious! Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes, about 1.5 - 2cm in size. Place your frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add the tofu to the pan and fry until golden all over. Sprinkle in the tofu spice mix and cook for a few more minutes or until the spice mix has cooked off a little and the tofu is golden brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. To serve, divide the cooked basmati rice between serving bowls and spoon over the super green saag daal . Top with the crispy curry spiced tofu cubes, then garnish with the red wine vinegar pickled red onion and a dollop of coconut yoghurt . Enjoy!

Highlighted = a make-ahead base; that's where it goes in.