Ingredients
| 1 butterflied chicken | |
| 3 tablespoons plain oil | |
| 1 tablespoon curry powder mix | |
| 1½ cups (300g) split red lentils | |
| 2 medium kūmara (about 500g), cut in 2cm cubes | |
| 2 red onions, 1 chopped, 1 sliced | |
| a 3cm piece of ginger, grated | |
| 2 green or red chillies, sliced | |
| 4 stalks curry leaves | |
| 1 teaspoon turmeric | |
| 1 x 400ml can coconut milk | |
| 100g chopped spinach leaves (optional) | |
| 1 tablespoon mustard seeds | |
| yoghurt, rice or flatbread such as naan or roti, to serve |
Cooking the chicken above the lentils adds extra flavour, but the lentils are perfect without chicken as a plant-based meal (just cover the dish with a lid or foil while in the oven). Any curry powder will work – I like a tandoori mix, or you could make your own simple blend of cumin, coriander seed, turmeric and chilli powder. This recipe works well with chicken drumsticks, too, if you want easier portions.
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Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oven to 200°C. |
| 2. | Put the chicken in a roasting dish and rub all over and under the skin with one tablespoon of the oil and the curry powder. |
| 3. | Transfer to a plate. |
| 4. | Add the lentils, kūmara, the chopped onion, ginger and one of the sliced chillies to the roasting dish. |
| 5. | Strip the leaves from one of the stalks of curry leaves and lightly crush them in your hands, then add to the lentils. |
| 6. | Spread the lentils evenly over the base, sprinkle with turmeric and lay the chicken on top. |
| 7. | Pour the coconut milk and 2 cups of water all over the chicken and lentils and season with salt. |
| 8. | Roast for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked. |
| 9. | Remove the chicken to a plate to rest. |
| 10. | Stir the dhal, add the spinach if using, and put back into the oven for 5 minutes. |
| 11. | Add the sliced onion and a sprinkle of salt and fry for 5 minutes then add the mustard seeds, the remaining sliced chilli and the rest of the curry leaves and cook for 2 minutes. |
| 12. | Drizzle this over the dhal and serve with the chicken along with rice or flatbread and a little yoghurt. |
Recipes & food styling Fiona Smith
Photography Aaron McLean
Styling Fiona Smith & Aaron McLean