There are plenty of things you can make on top (or even inside) your wood burner but as the evenings are getting much colder we could think of nothing better then this Goan style Dal. It is so easy to make, you can just put it on the stove a few hours before dinnertime and it comes out at just 37 pence per person! (leaving you more cash to save for Christmas!)

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

350g red lentils
1 tin kala chana (brown chickpeas)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4/5 fresh tomatoes chopped and seeds removed
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes
1.5 tablespoon of cumin powder
1.5 tablespoon coriander (dhania) powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 medium onion diced
2 large garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated ginger

Method
Wash the lentils, put them in a in a large heavy based pan with the turmeric and around 1 litre of water and bring them to the boil. Lower the heat, skim off the froth and add the tin of chickpeas, tomatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin powder, chili flakes and dhania powder. Put this on top of your stove to simmer. This can take anywhere from around 40 minutes to 2 hours depending on how hot your stove is burning.

Just before you are ready to eat, take a frying pan and heat the olive oil (on your stove of course!) When it is hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds. As soon as the seeds begin to pop add the onion and cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic and ginger stir for another minute. Add this to your pot of lentils which should by now be lovely and soft and full of flavour.

Serve with some steamed rice and top with some fresh coriander if desired!