Red lentil and spinach dahl

This is the bowl we come back to again and again in pregnancy. Lentils and spinach quietly deliver iron and folate, the spices are warming rather than fiery, and the whole thing comes together in one pan while you do very little. It is forgiving, comforting and genuinely good for you.

Ingredients

• 250g dried red lentils, rinsed
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• A thumb of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
• 1 tin (400ml) coconut milk
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 100g spinach
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon
• Sea salt, to taste
• Rice or warm flatbread, to serve

Method

1. Warm the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Soften the onion for five minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for another minute until fragrant.
2. Add the lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and stock. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are soft and the dahl is thick.
3. Stir the spinach through at the end to wilt. Add the lemon juice, season to taste, and loosen with a splash of water if you like it looser.
4. Serve over rice or with warm flatbread.

A note on iron: the plant iron in lentils is absorbed better alongside vitamin C, which is why the lemon at the end earns its place. A cup of tea right after the meal can blunt absorption, so leave it half an hour if you can.

General guidance rather than personalised nutrition advice. If you are managing low iron, nausea or any pregnancy condition, our registered nutritional therapists can tailor things to you.