If you're a vegetarian, you will have tasted your fair share of nut roasts and had many that are bland, dry and pretty horrid. But, before you write the dish off completely, try this fragrantly spiced version which brings an Indian take to the recipe. It takes less than an hour to make and makes a delicious vegetarian main course, perfect for Easter lunch.
Spiced Lentil, Nut and Vegetable Roast
Ingredients
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 dried chilli
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
fresh ginger, 3cm piece
200g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
100g of paneer, grated
1 large carrot, grated
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
100g of red lentils
2 tomatoes, chopped
300ml of water
100g of walnuts, finely chopped
100g of cashew nuts, finely chopped
100g of mature cheddar, grated
1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp of ghee
salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line the base and sides of a 1.5l loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds and dried chilli. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add the onions and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until they start to soften. Place the garlic and ginger in the pan and stir for several minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender.
4. Mix in the paneer and grated carrot and cook the mixture for 3 further minutes, then add the chilli powder and turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute, or until they begin to break down, then add the water and season with salt.
6. Pour in the lentils and bring to the boil. Simmer over a low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is fairly dry (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
7. Roughly chop the nuts and stir into pan with the coriander and cheese.
8. Once fully combined, spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down.
9. Cover the loaf tin with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10–15 minutes, or until firm when pressed gently. Serve immediately.
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Spiced Lentil, Nut and Vegetable Roast
Ingredients
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 dried chilli
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
fresh ginger, 3cm piece
200g of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
100g of paneer, grated
1 large carrot, grated
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
100g of red lentils
2 tomatoes, chopped
300ml of water
100g of walnuts, finely chopped
100g of cashew nuts, finely chopped
100g of mature cheddar, grated
1 handful of fresh coriander, chopped
1 tbsp of ghee
salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Line the base and sides of a 1.5l loaf tin with parchment paper.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds and dried chilli. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add the onions and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until they start to soften. Place the garlic and ginger in the pan and stir for several minutes, then add the sliced mushrooms and cook until tender.
4. Mix in the paneer and grated carrot and cook the mixture for 3 further minutes, then add the chilli powder and turmeric and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute, or until they begin to break down, then add the water and season with salt.
6. Pour in the lentils and bring to the boil. Simmer over a low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is fairly dry (about 10 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
7. Roughly chop the nuts and stir into pan with the coriander and cheese.
8. Once fully combined, spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down.
9. Cover the loaf tin with foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10–15 minutes, or until firm when pressed gently. Serve immediately.
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Recipe c/o Hari Ghotra