Spiced Halibut with Red Lentil Spinach Dahl, Mint Coriander Chutney & Crispy Chickpeas
This is one of my favourite recipes I have come up with in a while. It combines some of my favourite flavours and the dahl recipe alone is one you should definitely have in your repertoire. It would work just as well with a piece of salmon, monkfish, or even chicken or lamb, however, the meatiness of the halibut worked really well with the spicing of the dahl and would be my first choice. Cod would also be a great option. The dahl is so moreish, you won’t be able to keep your spoon out of it and the key to getting a real depth of flavour is frying your onions for as long as you can (this is a game changer I promise). The subtle layering of spicing is so tasty and with some cooling yoghurt, zingy green chutney for freshness and the slight sweetness of mango chutney, every mouthful is a flavour sensation. Some crispy spiced chickpeas help add texture and with a lovely piece of marinaded fish on top, this is a recipe I hope you will come back to time and time again.
£2.71 per portion (priced using frozen fish fillets)
First, marinade the fish. Mix 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp turmeric and a pinch of chilli powder in a small bowl. Put the fish fillets in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the fish, massaging the fillets so they are well coated. Place in the fridge while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
Put a drained can of chickpeas on a parchment lined baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and a pinch of chilli powder. Season, mix well and bake at 160C fan/180C for 15-20 minutes until golden and crispy. Set aside to cool.
For the dahl, fry one chopped onion in a little oil with 1/2 tsp salt for at least 30 minutes over a low heat, adding a knob of butter halfway through. The salt will help to draw out moisture from the onions and frying over a low heat for a long time will help them to get really nice and caramelised and give your dahl a great base for all the other flavours. You can add a splash of water if they start to go a brown at the edges.
Next, add 2 heaped tbsp of finely grated ginger and 4 grated garlic cloves. Fry for a couple of minutes before adding 1 tsp each of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, crushed coriander seeds, a cinnamon stick and 4 crushed cardamom pods. Fry for another couple of minutes until smelling fragrant before adding 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, a pinch of chilli powder, 1/4 tsp of ground fenugreek and 1/4 tsp of asafoetida. Stir over a low heat for a few minutes before adding 250g rinsed red lentils, a pierced green chilli, a can of chopped tomatoes and 500ml chicken stock. Simmer with a lid on for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked through.
For the mint chilli chutney, simply add 30g of roughly chopped coriander, half a bunch of mint, 1 roughly chopped green chilli, the zest and juice of two limes, 1/2 tsp granulated sugar and a pinch of salt to a mini blender. Blitz until smooth, adding a splash of oil or water if you need. Taste and season.
Fry the fish in a large nonstick frying pan with 1 tbsp rapeseed oil for 4 minutes on one side (depending on the thickness of your fillets). Flip the fillets over and add a knob of butter, some seasoning and the juice of a lemon, basting the fish in all the lovely juices.
Add 200g baby spinach to the dahl along with the juice of a lemon and some seasoning. Taste and add more salt and lemon to taste. I usually add 1/2 tbsp mango chutney as well to balance out the sharpness.
Serve the dahl in big bowls with the chutney dotted on top, some natural yoghurt, mango chutney, the crispy chickpeas and of course the fish. Enjoy.