A week or so before lockdown, I ordered a few bottles of vinegar from my friend Andy Harris of the Vinegar Shed. As the saying goes, what Andy does not know about vinegar is not worth knowing. I have been patting myself on the back for this piece of uncharacteristic forward-planning ever since. The vinegars have changed the way I cook. Acid is, in my opinion, the most important and most forgotten aspect of cooking, and these recipes use vinegar as an accent – a highlight, a top note – that brings a plate of food together. A welcome pick-me-up for us all just now.
Any-way lentils with mustard seed, radish pickle and spiced butter (pictured above)
A buttery bowl of comfort pepped up with a quick pickle. You can, of course, take liberties with the recipe based on what you have at home: the veg can be swapped, the ginger left out, and the coconut milk, though nice to have, is by no means necessary. You could even use split peas if you have them, just soak them in cold water overnight first.
Prep 20 min
Cook 1hr 10 min
Serves 4
For the dal
200g red lentils
1 onion, grated
1 carrot, grated (or a bit of fennel, a celery stick or a parsnip)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
A thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp coriander seeds, bashed or ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
400ml vegetable stock or water
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk or 400ml more water
For the pickle
200g veg of your choice (carrots, squash, cabbage, greens, raw beetroot, radishes)
1 small red onion
2 generous pinches salt
1 tsp sugar or honey
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the spiced butter
2 tbsp butter or ghee (vegans: use coconut oil)
2 tbsp whole spices (cumin, coriander, fennel, mustard seeds)
First, wash the lentils. I do this in the sink in a big bowl, filling it with water and washing the lentils with my hands about three times, until the water is less dusty and clear-ish.
In a large saucepan, gently fry the onion, carrot, garlic and ginger in a little oil for about 10 minutes, until soft and sweet. Add the spices and fry for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time. Next, add the lentils, stock and coconut milk to the pan and bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down and leave to bubble away for about an hour (you could cook it in less, but I like the lentils to be really soft and buttery).
Grate the veg for the pickle and finely slice the onion. Put the onion in a bowl with the salt, sugar and vinegar and use your hands to scrunch the onion, then stir in the rest of the grated veg.
Warm the butter or ghee in a small pan, add the spices and put on a low heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop and release their aroma. Serve the dal in deep bowls with the pickle on top and the spiced butter for spooning over.
Easy pickled veg
I use this basic brine to pickle any vegetable. My favourites are cauliflower (with mustard seed), carrots (with coriander seed), red cabbage (with caraway seed), and radishes (with slices of fresh ginger). Harder, crunchier vegetables are best cut thinly.
Prep 20 min
Cook 10 min
Makes 2 jars
500g veg of your choice (see intro)
250ml white-wine vinegar
50ml water
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp whole spices (fennel seed, coriander seed, mustard seed, caraway seed, cumin seed, star anise)
Prepare and finely chop the veg. Put the vinegar and water into a pan with the salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Once at a rolling boil, turn off the heat and add the sliced vegetables and spices.
While still hot, carefully spoon the veg into sterilised jars and top with the brine. Store in a cool place until needed; once open, keep in the fridge.
