Indian Jalfreezi Dhal Filled Pasty with Zesty Carrot Salad

Cut the onion in half through the root. Peel and chop into ½cm pieces. Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press). Finely chop the coriander stalks and roughly chop the leaves (keep them separate). Remove the tops and bottoms off the green beans and cut them into three pieces.

Put a frying pan on medium heat with a drizzle of oil and add your onion. Cook for 5 mins until your onion has softened, then add your garlic, coriander stalks and jalfrezi spice mix. Cook for 1 minute, then add the lentils and stir everything together.

Pour in the plum tomatoes and break them up. Refill the tin(s) a quarter with water and add that to your lentils along with the vegetable stock pot, and a grind of pepper. Stir together to dissolve the stock pot, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and bubble away gently for 15 mins. Stir from time to time to stop the mixture sticking.

Once your mixture has cooked for 15 mins and the mixture is thick with most of the water evaporated (similar consistency to mashed potato), add the green beans. Stir together, pop a lid on (or tin foil) and leave to cook for another 5 mins. Then take the pan off the heat.

Cut up one rectangle of baking paper per person (big enough to fit half a sheet of puff pastry on). Cut each puff pastry sheet in half so you have two rectangles. Spread a spoonful of your lentil mixture onto one half of each pastry recangle, leaving a 1½ cm border around it (see picture). Tip: Don't feel like your have to add all the lentil mixture in, you don't want to overfill your pasty. Use your leftovers for lunch!

Using a pastry brush or your finger, spread a little water around the edge of your pastry. Fold the other half over so the two edges meet (like you are folding a piece of paper in half), avoid too many air bubbles! Use a fork to press the edges together (see picture). Use a sharp knife to prick a small hole in the top of your pasty (this lets the steam escape).

Take your hot baking tray out of the oven and transfer your pasties onto it on their baking paper. Pop in the oven on the top shelf to bake for 15-20 mins until golden.

While your pasties cook, grate the carrots and mix with your coriander leaves. Squeeze in some lime juice, a drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt and some pepper. Mix together, taste and add more lime juice to taste.