Puy lentil, rocket, beetroot and feta salad

For some reason, salads aren't something that I do very well. My wife does, though, so I borrowed this from her. It was very nice.

This should feed 3 or 4, depending on whether you are serving it as a meal or as a side.

Ingredients:
Salad:
1 cup Puy lentils, cooked according to package instructions
2 boiled beetroots, diced in 1cm cubes
1-2 (red) onions, sliced
200g feta, crumbled
Handful of rocket per serving
Dressing:
Juice of 1 lemon
4-5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp raspberry (or red wine) vinegar
1 tbsp mustard
Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

Place all the salad ingredients except the rocket in a bowl and mix together. Mix the dressing and pour over the salad. Place a handful of rocket on each plate (according to appetite) and serve the salad on top. 

Vegan(ish) lentil curry

A slight adaptation of something I found at the Hungry Hutch. Definitely worth a look:

Ingredients:

2 cups lentils, washed
2 red peppers, cut up into chunks
1 medium-sized sweet potato, peeled and diced
Onion, peeled and diced
Garlic to taste, minced
Chilli to taste, chopped finely
About a tablespoon of chilli powder/garam masala
About a tablespoon of turmeric
900 ml chicken or vegetable stock
2 tomatoes
400 ml coconut milk
Salt and pepper to season
Basmati rice, coriander, and plain yoghurt to serve

Fry the sweet potato for about 3-5 min in a fair-sized pot (3-5 litres minimum), then add spices, onions, peppers, garlic, and chillies and cook for another 5 min or so. Add the tomatoes, mix well and cook for another 2 min, then add stock and coconut milk. Add lentils, bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper, and then let simmer for 40-45 minutes. Serve over rice, with coriander and yoghurt if desired.

Mulligatawny soup

I guess this is an Anglo-Indian recipe that came about under the British Raj. It raises some interesting cultural questions, but it also works well as a relatively quick and simple dish. This one is adapted somewhat from the Wanderlust Kitchen's recipe. Good stuff all told.

Ingredients:

1 biggish onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 chilli or to taste, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cm or so ginger, diced
1 biggish or 2 small apples, peeled, cored, diced
1 or 2 400g tins tomatoes, depending on taste
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp Provencal herbs (or thyme)
1/4 tsp cardamon
Pepper to taste
2/3 cup red lentils (uncooked)
1 litre chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
Spring onions and coriander to serve

Cook onion, carrot and chilli for 5 min or until onion is soft. Add garlic, ginger, apples, and tomato and cook for a few minutes, then add spices and mix in. Add lentils and stock, bring to boil and then cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Once done, add coconut milk, heat once more, then serve with spring onions and/or coriander. Add bread of your choice too.