Indian lamb with spiced lentils variations: If it’s more convenient, you can cook the curry in the oven. In step 3, after bringing to a boil, cover the casserole dish and place it in a preheated 350ºF (180ºC) oven. Cook for 11⁄4 hours. Add the lentils and tomatoes and cook for a further 20 minutes or until tender. Health food stores sell a wide range of lentils. Any of them can be used, but check first whether they are best soaked before cooking, because you may need to plan ahead. Red split lentils and split peas are a good choice because they do not need soaking.
Per serving: 379 calories, 35 g protein, 20 g total fat, 6 g saturated fat, 89 mg cholesterol, 15 g total carbohydrate, 6 g sugars, 5 g fibre, 640 mg sodium
Lentils are an excellent source of dietary fibre, particularly the soluble kind responsible for keeping levels of bad cholesterol down. They are also a useful source of thiamine and vitamin B6.