Scrunchy dal pot pies
Creamy little coconut chana dal pies with a scrunchy, crunchy filo pastry crust and aromatic flavours like garam masala and fresh curry leaves. These are a great make-ahead meal for the freezer, too. Serve the pies alongside sautéed mixed greens like broccoli, French beans and spinach for a delicious vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz chana dal
- 2 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
- 1 medium onion, grated
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 10 fresh curry leaves, very finely chopped
- 1 large tomato, finely chopped
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- small pinch bicarbonate of soda
- ¾ tsp garam masala
- 1¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 6 filo pastry sheets (around 250g/9oz)
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter, melted
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
Method
Wash the chana dal well in a few changes of warm water. Drain and place in a bowl. Cover with enough boiling water to submerge by 3cm/1¼in and allow to soak for 6–8 hours.
Drain the dal and give it a rinse under running water.
In a large, non-stick saucepan heat the ghee. Add the onion and fry for 10–12 minutes, or until it’s a deep golden brown.
Add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves and tomato. Fry for a minute before adding in the turmeric, chilli powder, coconut milk, bicarbonate of soda and 800ml/1½ pint hot water. Bring to the boil and then add the soaked and drained chana dal.
Cover and simmer over a medium-low heat for 1 hour – the chana dal should be tender with a little bite, and the mix should be fairly dry. Stir often to prevent the dal from sticking to the base of the pan.
Add the garam masala, salt and lemon juice. Over a very low heat, whisk the dal with a balloon whisk until smooth and creamy – similar to the consistency of a risotto (around 5–10 minutes). Stir in the fresh coriander and set the dal aside to cool.
Take the pastry out of the fridge 10 minutes before you want to use it. Unwrap and cut the rectangular sheets in half to create squares.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Place one sheet of pastry onto a clean board or surface. Brush lightly with melted butter and place another sheet directly on top. Brush the second sheet with another light layer of butter. Lift the pastry and place it butter-side down into a mini oven-proof pie dish or ramekin. Carefully push to the bottom and leave an overhang over the edges. Repeat for the remaining three dishes.
Divide the slightly cooled dal between the four dishes.
Take another sheet of filo pastry. Brush lightly with butter and fold in half. Brush again and fold once more so that you have a small square. Place this on top of the dal and begin to twist the pastry overhang into the top square of filo to form a twisted, scrunchy edge. Repeat for the other three portions.
Give the tops a final brush with butter and then sprinkle with cumin seeds and place onto an ovenproof baking tray. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the pies are a deep golden brown colour on top. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
The individual pot pie dishes used here were L12.9 x W9.8 x H7.5cm/L5 x W4 x H3¼in. It's best to serve the pot pies in their pots.
If you want to freeze the pies, cook the dal and allow it to cool completely. Assemble the pies and freeze them in their pots. You can then remove them from the pots and store in a re-usable plastic bag or box for up to 3 months. To heat them up, return them to their pots and bake for an extra 15–20 minutes. Test that the pies are completely piping hot in the middle.
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