Put away the takeaway menus! Deliciously golden, garlicky turmeric Dal topped with fragrant Tadka spices, crispy baby Bombay potatoes, warm and fluffy garlic and coriander naan and sweet and coconutty Peshwari naans.
This vegan Indian Feast Night menu will be such a delight to your tastebuds you'll never need to order Indian take out again.
Serves: 4 hungry people
Total Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
Simple Easy Vegan Naan Breads
Makes 4 Large or 6 Medium Naans
3/4 Warm Water
1 tsp Active Yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp vegan/dairy-free natural yoghurt
2 Tbsp olive/avocado oil
For Garlic and Coriander Naan -
3 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander
2 Tbsp Plant-based/dairy-free butter
Sprinkle of black onion seeds
For Peshwari Naan
2 Tbsp Agave Syrup
2 Tbps Desiccated Coconut
1 Tbsp raisins
1 Tbsp water
Desiccated coconut and fresh coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
Mini Bombay New Potatoes
1 bag / 500g New potatoes, washed, cut in half
1 Tbsp Turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp Coconut oil or avocado oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder (or 1/2 tsp each of cumin and coriander powder)
Fresh coriander to garnish (optional)
Dal Tadka
1 cup soaked lentils (Iused yellow lentils and soaked for 20 mins)
1 medium White Onion, diced
6 large Garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder (or cayenne)
2 red chillies, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder
2 cups of water
Tadka Spices
1 Tbsp Coconut oil
3-4 Curry leaves
1 tsp whole Cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 Cinnamon stick
Method
Simple Easy Vegan Naan Breads
Both the Peshwari and garlic and coriander naans start with the same basic vegan naan recipe - easy!
Start by adding the warm water, yeast and sugar to a bowl, give it a slight stir and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes (less time if using fast-acting yeast) until the yeast starts to foam and bubble on the surface. In the meantime, to a large mixing bowl add the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine.
Once the yeast mixture is foaming, to this, stir in the dairy-free yoghurt and the oil. Stir to combine. Add the wet mixture to the flour and mix with a fork or spoon until it resembles a sticky dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface using a little flour, enough to kneed the dough for 5 turns until it is shaped into a ball. (Try not to overwork the dough or it may become tough)
Cover the ball of dough in a little oil to prevent it sticking and return it to the bowl, cover with a damp town and leave somewhere warm to rise for around 2hrs, in the meantime, you can make your Dal Tadka and your mini Bombay New Potatoes!
After the 2hrs have passed, remove the dough and lay onto a lightly floured surface, using a little flour, kneed the dough for a few more turns until it is no longer sticky. Cut and divide the dough into 4 (for large naans) or 6 (for medium naans). Knead each ball for around 15 seconds and leave covered to rest for around 10 mins.
For the garlic and coriander topping, crush the garlic and chop the coriander leaves and set aside. Have the black onion seeds on hand.
For the Peshwari, in a small bowl, add the desiccated coconut, the agave, raisins and a little water and mix until you have a thick paste.
When you are ready to cook the naans, preheat a cast iron or non-stick pan over a medium flame.
Take a ball of dough and onto a lightly floured surface roll out with a rolling pin or stretch using the palm of your hand until the desired size (approx 1 cm thick but no more) For the garlic and coriander naan, lightly oil one side of the naan and carefully lay until the pan. Add a little of the crushed garlic, coriander and black onion seeds to the top of the naan and lightly push down with your fingers (careful not to burn yourself)
Once the naan has cooked on one side (around 2 mins), carefully flip it over using a spatula and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Once the 2 mins are up, transfer to a plate and slather the top with a little dairy-free butter.
For the Peshwari naans - take a ball of rested dough and roll out using the palm of your hand to the desired size. Then take a few small teaspoons of the coconut mixture and smooth into the middle of the dough using the back of the spoon. Fold the dough back over encasing the coconut mixture in the middle and push down slightly with the palm of your hand. Cook the naans just like the garlic and coriander ones previous, 2 mins on one side, slightly oil the top, flip and cook for another 2 mins.
Once cooked, remove from the pan to serving plate and slather the top with a little dairy-free butter and sprinkle over some desiccated coconut and a little fresh coriander optional)
Mini Bombay New Potatoes
Preheat the coconut oil in a baking dish in an oven at 200 degrees. Meanwhile, wash and cut the new potatoes in half and parboil with a little salt and the turmeric for around 10 minutes or until you can just about pierce them with a fork.
Drain and into a colander and once the steam has dried them sprinkle with a little salt and rough them up by tossing in the colander. Tip into a bowl and sprinkle over the black mustard seeds and spices and toss to combine.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and tip in the potatoes, being careful of the hot oil. Bake at 200 degrees for 20-25 mins or longer depending on how crispy you like them.
To serve, tip into a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves (optional)
Dal Tadka
I cook my dal in the Instant Pot as it's much quicker and easier than on the stovetop.
Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode and add enough coconut oil to lightly fry the onion and until slightly translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for around 2 mins, then add the cumin and turmeric powder. Add a little splash of water to prevent the spices from sticking and cook stirring for another minute or so to cook out the spices then add the rest of the spice ingredients and the lentils.
Add the 2 cups of water and select the 'Cancel' setting and stir everything to incorporate and dislodge any bits that may have stuck to the bottom. I always use a wooden spoon as to not scratch the pot.
Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the pressure release is sealed. Select 'Pressure Cook' at high pressure for 10 mins. Once the 10 mins are up let the Instant pot to release pressure naturally for another 10 mins.
Open the Instant Pot and set to 'Sauté' mode for a few minutes until the dal thickens up. (optional)
Tip: During this 20-minute window of cooking and venting is when I would usually cook my naans and make the Tadka.
To make the Tadka simply heat on high flame a small pan or wok and add the coconut oil, just before the oil comes to smoking point (you can check this by throwing in a cumin seed if it looks like the oil is bubbling around it its hot enough) add in all the spices and cook in the hot oil for 30-60 seconds max, any more and you may burn them and they'll taste bitter.
Remove the Tadka from the heat and immediately pour over the daal, you can serve it like this and stir it in at the table or stir in straight away. Sprinkle with a generous helping of freshly chopped coriander and serve in big bowls, saving some room for those tasty baby Bombay potatoes and lovely fluffy vegan naan breads.
Dal Tadka on the hob
As before, pre-soak the lentils for 20 mins. Heat the coconut oil in a casserole dish and sauté the onion with a pinch of salt until soft and translucent. Add in the garlic, ginger paste, chillies, and spices and cook stirring for around a minute.
Add in the soaked lentils and the water and bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, give everything a stir to combine and then reduce the heat and partially cover, cooking on a low heat for 35-45 mins.
Once cooked the lentils should be soft and the daal thick. If you find it starts to thicken too much during this time you can add a little water at a time and stir through to help cook the lentils. If the dal looks a little think you can mash these a little with a potato masher or an immersion blender depending on how smooth you prefer your dal.
Follow the same instructions for the Tadka as above. Stir into the dal at the end and top with fresh coriander.
Enjoy!
H x
If you enjoyed this bitchin' Indian Feast Night, why not try my Caribbean Feast night too!
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