It must be admitted that lentils are fast becoming one of my favourite foods. Even four years ago I wouldn’t even have considered eating them, and now really can’t get enough. Like potato they take on so much flavour, and are extremely healthy. This, in my opinion, makes them more suitable for spice-based dishes than chicken will ever be. Of course chicken has its virtues, but short of marinating it for 24-hours – which is a faff – in a dish like this it really becomes plain chicken surrounded by spices.