Dhal is a traditional indian dish made of lentils and spices, often served with rice or bread and garnished with fresh herbs. It’s super easy to make and just absolutely delicious!

Dhal typically includes a combination of lentils, spices, and aromatics such as onion and garlic. Common spices include turmeric, cumin, and mustard seeds (my favorite). Some variations also include ginger, chilies, and tomatoes. It is generally served with rice or bread, and garnished with fresh cilantro or other herbs.

Dhal is a very flexible dish and you can add a variety of vegetables to it. Don’t be afraid to add in local vegetables that you have on hand. In this recipe I have used some zucchini, sweet potato and a tomato.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for 2 servings

  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or neutral oil
  • 150g red lentils, rinsed
  • 1/2 can of coconut milk
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 1 small sweet potato / carrot
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric or general curry spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds

Optionally add

  • 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ginger
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • garnish of fresh cilantro or other herbs

Steps

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the cumin (and other whole spices) and onion and cook until the onion is translucent.
  3. Add the hard vegetables like sweet potato and carrot and get some color on them.
  4. Add the garlic and dry spices (excluding turmeric which gets destroyed if cooked for too long and makes the dish bitter).
  5. Add the lentils and stir until they are coated in the spices.
  6. Add the tomato and zucchini and gently stir in.
  7. Add the boiling water. Everything should be covered by a centimeter or so of water.
  8. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.
  9. Cook for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally and add water if needed.
  10. Add the coconut milk and turmeric and stir until combined.
  11. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and petter to taste.
  12. Serve with rice or bread and garnish with fresh herbs.