This is a deceptively simple yet delicious meal that is also extremely inexpensive. Everyone’s a winner! Ingredients (serves 4): 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 150g lentils (red or green) 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes 2 courgettes, diced 1 tsp Marmite (optional) 1 vegetable stock cube A small bunch of parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato puree 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp ground chilli olive oil salt & pepper Method: Gently fry the onions and garlic in a little olive oil. Add the lentils and the courgettes and fry until the lentils have turned slightly pale. Add the spices, stir well and fry for another minute. Add the tins of chopped tomatoes, the Marmite (optional), the crumbled stock cube and the tomato puree. Stir well then bring to a simmer for half an hour. If the sauce looks too thick or starts to stick, add a little water. Season and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve the sauce with your choice of pasta, shavings of parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped parsley. Notes: Try adding mushrooms or diced aubergines instead of courgettes. Both work really well! Also try adjusting the spices to suit your own tastes. For those who like a less spicy dish, try 1 tsp of ground coriander and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon (leaving out the paprika and chilli).

Lentil ragu