The $3 dhal that won over Jennifer Garner – and how to cook it in 25 minutes

When cookbook author Catie Gett posted her “not so dal” recipe on Instagram, she woke up to an unexpected endorsement from Jennifer Garner. The video racked up nearly 3 million views, sending Gett’s notifications into overdrive.

Soon after, Dawn French slid into her DMs asking for her umami bread recipe, baking the cheese, onion and soy sauce loaf within the hour and calling it “utter yum”.

For more than a decade, Gett ran The Staple Store in Melbourne’s Ripponlea, building a following for its focus on whole foods and sustainability. But after experiencing life below the poverty line, she realised the health food industry had become unintentionally exclusionary, treating wellness as a luxury rather than a right.

Her new cookbook, Staple Store Cookbook Volume 01, challenges this dogma by making nutritious, cost-effective food accessible to everyone.

The dhal, a lentil-and-spice mix sold in jars, was a store favourite. You can recreate the hearty meal in 25 minutes by adding a can of tomatoes to your premixed dry ingredients. It costs just $3 for four servings, or $4.10 with optional coconut cream.

Not so dal

For years, Not So Dal was one of my most beloved products. I called it “Not So Dal” because it isn’t a traditional recipe. Authentic dal involves soaking lentils, tempering spices in ghee or oil (the tadka or chaunk), and honouring techniques passed down through generations across South Asia.

This was a wholefood, organic dinner ready in 25 minutes, sold at cost in 375ml glass jars. Families could grab a jar and have a nourishing meal on the table faster than a home delivery could arrive.

When I released the recipe in my latest cookbook, I wanted to bring that same ease into people’s own kitchens. The idea is to spend 20 minutes once a month setting up a home production line – prepping four or even a dozen jars of ready-to-cook dal at once. That way, on a busy Tuesday night, dinner is only 25 minutes away with almost zero cognitive load. The jar is the plan.

The production line

1. Gather your containers (400-450ml lidded glass jars or medium zip-lock bags work perfectly).
2. For each container, measure out one portion of the ingredients listed below. Red lentils don’t need to be soaked before cooking. But if you prefer to rinse and soak yours, put the spices in a separate container.
3. Store the containers in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

INGREDIENTS

Dhal mix

• 280g (1½ cups) red split lentils
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar (coconut or brown sugar work well)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp sesame seeds
• a good pinch of cracked pepper

To cook

• 1 tbsp butter or oil
• 400ml can chopped tomatoes
• 800ml (2 cans) water
• 125ml (½ cup) coconut cream (optional)

METHOD

1. To cook the dhal, heat the butter or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Empty the contents of one jar or bag into the pan and stir constantly for 30 seconds to toast the spices. Add the canned tomatoes, water, and coconut cream (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
3. Simmer uncovered for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have broken down into a creamy, porridge-like consistency. The lentils are done when there are no gritty or hard centres remaining – the best way to test this is to taste them.
4. If you prefer a soup-like consistency, gradually stir in boiling water (½ cup at a time). To thicken, simply simmer for a few minutes longer.
5. Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Serve hot as is, or with steamed rice.

Serves 4 with sides

Magic umami bread

For years, Firebrand has been a local landmark in Ripponlea. One of Melbourne’s original sourdough bakeries, it is home to one of the city’s oldest starters. Dave, the owner, is a local legend, and he makes onion and cheddar sourdough scrolls we used to line up for every weekend.

One day, Dave shared the magic ingredient: soy sauce. When I developed this recipe, I thought of all the customers and mates I made on that street during the 12 beautiful years we were there.

Even though The Staple Store has since closed its doors, this bread tastes just like those days – when customers (once strangers, now friends) would pop in and ask, “Do you want anything from Firebrand?”

This recipe is in honour of Dave and the community we built together.

INGREDIENTS

Bread dough

• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• 350ml water
• 1 tbsp vinegar

Filling

• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup light soy sauce (or ¼ cup regular soy
  sauce)
• 150g (about 1½ cups loosely packed) grated cheddar or tasty cheese, reserving a little for the topping

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional). Line a medium cake tin with baking paper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the sliced onions until translucent and softened.
3. Add the soy sauce and ½ cup water, cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, combine the water and vinegar. Add the sifted flour and mix into a soft, slightly wet dough – it’s normal for this to be wetter than a typical bread batter.
5. Fold the cooled onion mixture through the dough along with most of the cheese (reserve a pinch for the top).
6. Transfer the dough to the prepared tin and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining cheese over and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the bread springs back when touched and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs.
7. Allow the bread to cool slightly in the tin before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf

This is an edited extract from The Staple Store Cookbook Volume 01 by Catie Gett. Photographs by Jana Langhorst. Published by The Staple Store. RRP $44.