Serve this as a warm salad – or chilled as you prefer.

Several small beetroot or two large beetroot (peeled and cubed) roasted for half an hour at 175c in a little olive oil

150g of dried Puy lentils

250ml vegetable stock & a bay leaf

1 small onion chopped (or some spring onions which can be added at the end as a garnish instead)

1 close of garlic crushed

2cm grated ginger root

1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds

Handful of whole almonds cracked and toasted under the grill till golden

Juice of a lemon (& zest if you like)

Handful of fresh coriander leaves chopped

Baby Spinach leaves to serve

Boil lentils in stock then simmer over low heat 30 minutes till soft, drain and leave to cool.

In same pan, soften onion & garlic in a table spoon of olive oil over a low heat. Then stir in ginger and cardamom and Beetroot cubes. Cook for a moment or two.

Return lentils to pan, season with freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice,  heat though and pour into serving dish. Top with coriander and serve on a bed of baby spinach leaves – warm as a main course or cooled as a salad.