EACH week we ask someone to share their favourite recipe with readers of Taste.

Jacqueline Kelly – known as Kelly to her friends – opened Zoukinis, a vegetarian restaurant in Westbourne, five years ago.

“I have been a vegetarian for 26 years. It was considered to be a bit weird back then. If you said you were a vegetarian you would invariably be served a plate of vegetables,” she said.

“It’s very different now and I want to show that vegetarian food isn’t boring.

“In fact around 40 per cent of our customers are meat-eaters!”

Many of the dishes on the menu have been inspired by her travels to Indonesia, Kenya and Greece. They also cater for vegans and people on gluten-free diets.

One of the restaurant’s most popular events are the Thali evenings – Indian-style tapas dishes – which are held on the first and third Thursday of the month.

Dishes include stir fired cabbage and carrot with mustard seeds, green chilli and fresh coriander, Indian fritters and lassi.

Although her two chefs Kurt Martin and Jay Marais aren’t vegetarian, they both enjoy cooking vegetarian food.

Kurt says: “We use a wide variety of foods from different cultures and as we also cater for people on special diets so you really do learn a lot working here.”

Kelly adds: “Everyone knows curry dishes like balti, korma and madras, but dahl is not a dish many people would try.

“This recipe is a very simple dish and tastes so good.”

Zoukinis Dahl
Serves six
In a large pan put 1l water
Add ¼ tsp turmeric
1 green chilli (finely chopped)
½ tbsp butter and a small handful of chopped curry leaves
Then add 250g channa dahl/split peas bring to boil 15 to 20 mins add water slowly until cooked 30-45 mins – do not drown!
When cooked remove from heat.
Heat 1tbsp of oil or ghee in another pan – add 1tsp cumin seeds
2-4 cardamon pods
2-4 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1tsp peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seeds
Small handful chopped curry leaves.
Bring to sizzling point, take off heat.
Add ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp madras curry powder, mix well then add to lentils
1 ½ tsp sugar
Bring to boil and add a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped coriander.
Garnish with fresh coriander and a wedge of lemon.