Yotam Ottolenghi’s spiced red lentils with curry leaves.

This works equally well as a warm dip for six, or as a main course for two with spiced vegetables and rice.

60ml olive oil

40 curry leaves, fresh or dried

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp fennel seeds

2 banana shallots, peeled and finely chopped

3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 large red chilli, finely chopped

2 tsp mild curry powder

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

150g red lentils, rinsed

500g vegetable stock

Salt

In a medium saucepan for which you have a lid, heat the oil on a medium-high flame, then fry 30 curry leaves for 30 seconds, until starting to turn crisp. Add the cumin and fennel seeds, fry for 10 seconds, until aromatic, then pour the oil and spices through a sieve with a bowl underneath to catch the oil. Put the curry leaves and spices in a bowl with a tablespoon of the infused oil.

Return the remaining cooking oil to the saucepan and put it on a medium-high heat. Fry the shallots for four to five minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and caramelised, then add the remaining 10 curry leaves, ginger, garlic, chilli and curry powder, and stir through for a minute. Add the lemon zest, lentils and a third of a teaspoon of salt, stir for a minute, then pour in the stock. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover and leave to simmer for 18 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are soft.

Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool down a little, then remove and discard the curry leaves. Tip the contents of the pan into a food processor, blitz until smooth, then spoon into a large, shallow bowl. Sprinkle with the fried curry leaf mix, drizzle over the remaining oil and serve.

• Yotam Ottolenghi is chef/patron of Ottolenghi and Nopi in London.