Spiced red lentil dahl recipe
Be immediately cheered by this dahl’s sunny disposition, vibrant aromas and bright flavours.
When life feels a little gloomy, the skies a little darker, this bright, spiced dahl is what I make. I am immediately cheered by its sunny disposition. The aromas fill the house with a vibrancy that lifts everyone’s spirits. Of all the things I cook, this is my husband’s favourite. I’m not sure if it’s because it costs next to nothing and is pulled together by what’s usually on hand in our pantry and freezer, or because it’s packed with flavour.
As costs continue to rise, we are all looking at ways to be smarter with our money, including how to do dinner for less. Legumes and canned beans are often my answer as they are filling, nutritious, versatile and affordable. They always seem to stretch a long way.
This recipe is the type of cooking that doesn’t demand a lot from you – either in time or ingredients. Life is complicated enough; cooking does not always need to be. While I know this isn’t the traditional way to cook dahl, it’s the way we do it in our house. I take many shortcuts here, which I hope won’t offend. Authenticity in cooking is not a subject I’d like to broach.
To elevate these lentils, I finish them with a crunchy topping of garlic, ginger and fried curry leaves. Fried curry leaves are a revelation. I can’t get enough of them. They are easily found in the supermarket, most likely hidden amongst the herbs. I always try to keep some in the freezer to throw in at the last minute (don’t worry about defrosting them). If you don’t have them, you’ll still be pleased with the crunch and punch the garlic and ginger give.
While not needed, I like to grate a cucumber into thick Greek yoghurt with a spritz of lemon and serve alongside this dahl. It starts to make the dish feel like dinner fit for a king (or house guests.)
I hope this flatbread recipe helps to brighten your world, too. Happy cooking.
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RECIPE: Spiced red lentil dahl
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter)
- 250g red lentils
- 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4cm ginger, roughly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons salt flakes
- ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 750ml warm water
- Crispy curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter)
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4cm ginger, cut into matchsticks
- Curry leaves, about 30
- 1 large green chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
- Yoghurt and cucumber (optional)
- 1 cucumber
- ½ cup yoghurt
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Rice, to serve
Method
- Wash and rinse your lentils under warm water. I’ve found this helps to speed up the process and remove any grit. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, whiz together tomatoes, 4 garlic cloves and 4cm of ginger. If you don’t have a blender, grate the garlic and ginger into your tomatoes and give everything a good mash to bring it all together. Set aside.
- Place a large pot over medium heat. Add ghee or olive oil and butter. When melted, throw in cumin seeds. Let them dance around the pan for 30 seconds, then add ground cumin, ground coriander and turmeric. Continue to cook for a further 30 seconds until fragrant. Throw in lentils and tomato mix along with salt, chilli flakes, tomato paste and warm water. Leave to cook for 20 minutes, uncovered, occasionally stirring or until lentils are soft and the dahl has thickened.
- In the meantime, if you choose to, grate your cucumber. Stir into the yoghurt with a squeeze of lemon juice. Season. Set aside. To make the crispy topping, heat a fry pan over medium to high heat. Add ghee or olive oil and butter. When melted, throw in your garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for 30 seconds. You want to get some colour. Throw in your curry leaves and cook for another 30 seconds. They’ll go bright green and crisp up. Turn off heat. Pour crispy topping over your lentils and serve. Serves 2-3
Other delicious recipes from Elizabeth Hewson:
- This is not your standard pork chop
- A buttery, puffy tart to celebrate the humble spud
- A fudgy, rich and moist chocolate cake
- This pasta is the perfect mid-week meal