Red Lentil Dal

Yield
8
Red Lentil Dal
Rich, fragrant and packed with protein for a vegetarian yummy meal you can feel good about.
Ingredients
- 2 cups red lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large tomatoes, diced
- ½ teaspoon turmeric; or more to taste
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ Tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 2-3 cups fresh spinach (optional)
- Rice or naan bread for serving
Directions
- Rinse the lentils.
- Fill a large pot with the water. Add the rinsed lentils and the salt and bring to a boil on high heat. When the lentils are boiling, lower the heat to medium-low to simmer.
- Mince the ginger and the garlic and dice the tomatoes. Add the ginger, garlic and tomatoes to the lentils.
- Add the turmeric and cumin to the lentils.
- Simmer until the lentils and tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add the spinach, if using, and simmer for another minute until the spinach is wilted.
- Add the coconut oil and the cilantro and turn off the heat.
- Serve over rice or with naan bread.
Notes
Variations to Try
- Add 1 - 2 spoonfuls of yogurt on top as a finishing touch.
- For more authentic taste, substitute garam masala for turmeric and ghee for coconut oil (same amount).
- You can use other types of lentils (yellow or green) or dried split peas, but these take longer to cook.
Something to Chew On
- Dal or daal is a Hindi word meaning legumes. What are legumes?
- There are countless variations of Dal all across India. Every household has their favorite, different regions use varying methods and spices, sometimes it’s served as a meal, sometimes as a side.
- Why is turmeric healthy?