Easy & Delicious Dahl

I think we can slide this one right into the category of foods made in contemplation of surviving winter.

(maybe even thriving)

A soul-warming pot of red lentil curry intermingled with ginger, coconut and tomato ~ so cozy, so satisfying and so … simple — yet not ordinary!

this delicious & approachable version of Masoor Dahl (Indian red lentil curry) is ready in 30 minutes start to finish.  

Dahl (or Dal/Daal), one of the most common and adaptable foods in Indian cuisine, refers to both an ingredient and a popular dish; the term is used to describe pulses collectively — dried split pea, lentils and legumes (beans) — and also to refer to the stew-like simmered dish made from these pulses, which is how I’m using it today.

There are many (many) different types of dahl that vary according to the pulses used, the consistency of the final dish as well as the spices and other seasonings / ingredients in the mix – these differences vary from region to region and home to home.  You can interpret this dahl any way you like.

Consistency & Texture: once you have the base recipe in your pocket, you can make adjustments as preferred to the thickness of the dahl (more or less dilute/creamy) and to the texture of the lentils (I stop short of complete decimation but some prefer the lentils broken down into a soft purée) — regardless of where you land on the refinements, the spices are where the magic happens!

Taste & Heat: this dahl has a nice warming base with a full-bodied coconut curry and some heat coming from the cayenne (which you can easily adjust to taste).

Other Goodies: Alliums (garlic, onion family) also add flavor to this dish while conferring potent health benefits, including immune support, don’t underestimate the power of these humble veggies.  This dish is naturally gluten-free, high in protein and fiber (!)

5.0 from 1 reviews

Red Lentil Dahl (Masoor Dahl) vegan, GF

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

An aromatic & soul-warming Indian red lentil curry intermingled with ginger, tomato and coconut milk ~ ready to serve in 30 minutes!

Author: kelly

Serves: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

• 260 g (1 + ⅓ cup) dry red lentils, rinsed in a colander
• 1 shallot, fine chop (should be about 1 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (or to taste, we love our garlic!:)
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled & grated
• 620 ml (2 + ⅔ cup//21 oz) vegetable stock
• 225 g (1 cup) diced tomatoes with their juices or tomato sauce if preferred (I'm using fire roasted diced tomato)
• 2 round Tbsp tomato paste
• 237 ml (1 cup) full fat coconut milk
  
  
• dry spices:
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp mustard seed
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ⅓ tsp sea salt (coarse salt) or to taste
• ¼ cayenne (ground hot red pepper, add more or less to preference* see Notes)

Instructions

1. Combine dry spices in a small dish: garam masala, turmeric, mustard seed, coriander, salt and cayenne (if using), and set aside.
2. In a saucepan set to low/medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic in about 2 Tbsp of oil until translucent.
3. Sprinkle the onion/garlic mixture with the dry spice mixture, using a spoon/spatula to intermingle.
4. Add the rinsed lentils and vegetable stock to the pan and bring just to a boil before reducing to a simmer (gentle boil) for 6-8 minutes until the lentils have absorbed much of the liquid and are soft/firm (al dente). Note: the lentils will continue to soften somewhat but if you prefer them more broken down (purée style) let them simmer a little longer (you may need to add bit more water/stock).
5. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and ginger to the skillet, breaking up with a spoon/spatula and mixing to combine.
6. Finally, add the coconut milk, mixing to combine and heating just until warmed through.
7. Serve right away as is or with desired toppings: dollop of yogurt/ labneh, fresh greens (I'm using rainbow micro greens) cilantro is also nice here, fresh onions, etc.
8. You can accompany this dish with a grain rice/quinoa and/or naan if you like, or simply a salad (I find it hearty as is). I like to eat this dahl with a spoon (my husband prefers a fork) up to you! ;-)
9. This dahl will store well in the fridge (or freezer) in a covered container; you may need to add more liquid (veg stock/ water/ coconut milk) when reheating.
10. enjoy

Notes

Heat level -- ¼ tsp cayenne brings some heat to this dish but nothing overbearing for our taste; I cannot stress enough though that heat is in the tummy of the beholder - if heat is not your thing please skip the cayenne (you could always add red pepper flakes to the dish at the end).
Red Lentils -- the red lentils used in this recipe are split lentils, which means they've had their husks removed; by contrast, whole red lentils (also popular in other varieties of dahl) are dark brown in appearance from the husk.

3.5.3251