Red lentil dal

folderindian | quick | winter

red-lentil-dal

Saskia Sidey | BBC Food

This could not be easier to whip up – and dal freezes so well, so if the portions are a bit big, just freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months for when you need a little warming up.

Prep < 30 mins
Cook 30 mins to 1 hour
Serves 2

Ingredients

250g red lentils
4 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
handful coriander stalks, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
pinch dried chilli flakes
3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tin/100ml coconut milk
½ bag spinach or baby spinach (about 125–150g)
salt and ground black pepper

Method

  1. Rinse the red lentils under cold running water, drain and set aside.
  2. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Fry the onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, before adding the garlic and frying for another minute until fragrant.
  3. Add the coriander stalks, cumin and chilli. Once warmed through, add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, or until you have a tomato sauce.
  4. Add the rinsed lentils and 800ml/1½ pint water and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the lentils have completely broken down, then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  5. Put aside half of the lentils to make the Smoky enchilada bake. Once cool, store covered in the fridge until needed. If you aren't following the budget meal plan, you can freeze them to make dal another time.
  6. Add the turmeric and coconut milk to the remaining lentils and bring to a simmer. Stir in the spinach and as soon as it’s wilted, transfer to bowls and eat immediately.

Other dal/dhal recipes:

Related recipes