Dal, dull? Not at all. Scrummy curried lentils and aubergines.

There are some foodstuffs that transform themselves into something so wonderfully delicious with so little effort. One of these for me is the red lentil. Little rock hard mini pebbles that turn into something magical when cooked.

So...pierce a 2 whole aubergines and pop in microwave to soften for 10-12 mins. (quicker and healthier than frying) Then dump them into a bowl of cold water. Rinse a large bag of red lentils under cold running water until water runs clear. Place in a pot. Add some veg stock powder and some chopped tomatoes or a pack of sieved tomatoes and water to cover. Add 2 finely chopped onions. Throw in a large tsp of curry powder and a splash of hot sauce (see liquid fire recipe). And 4 roughly chopped cloves of garlic. Drain the aubergines. Trim off the hairy end stalky bit and cut in half and then chop roughly and chuck in pot. Add a little salt and some coarsely ground black pepper or a few peppercorns Bring to boil and simmer for 20-30 mins until lentils are soft and sauce is creamy. You may need to add more water if needed and stir to prevent sticking You can add lemon juice at the end of cooking and chopped coriander (but I'd not got any to hand).

You can serve as is, with rice, bread, or with a salad. It actually tastes better if left overnight.