Every once in a while I’ll crave something that is vegetable-forward and warming from the inside out, and without fail I’ll make a huge batch of this soothing Coconut Dal. I am a huge fan of lentils and legumes in general, as they’re inexpensive, easy to cook and can be flavoured with just about anything.
The one thing that is even more awesome about the dried red lentils used in this recipe is that there is no soaking required. All the ingredients go directly into the pan and are cooked until soft and delicious before spinach and lemon juice are added to freshen and brighten the whole thing up. It can be served on its own as a light meal, and also makes a great side to an Indian curry. This dal is ideal for freezing, ready for quick lunches and easy dinners … and having a stash of store-bought, flaky roti bread in the freezer for dipping is a non-negotiable. Coconut Dal is a great recipe for using up packets of lentils and cans of tomatoes that you might already have in the pantry. This is one of my favourite recipes from my cookbook, The Simple Dinner Edit.
Can I use a different type of lentil for this recipe?
Yes, you can substitute red lentils with yellow lentils or even split peas. However, cooking times may vary slightly as red lentils cook faster and tend to become mushier, which is perfect for dal!
What can I do with leftover dal?
Leftovers freeze beautifully (see below) or you can make fritters with leftover dal as follows. Combine 250 g (1 cup) dal with 35 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, ¼ bunch finely chopped coriander (cilantro) and 1 beaten egg. Add more flour if required to form four fritters. Cook for 2 minutes per side in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Serve with plain yoghurt and mango chutney.
Is there a substitute for garam masala?
Use curry powder as an alternative.
Watch how to make Coconut Dal
If you enjoyed Coconut Dal, I think you’ll love:
Easy Fried Rice Recipe
Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Tuna Fried Rice Recipe
Mexican Tomato Rice Recipe
Greek Lemon Dill Rice Recipe
Coconut Dal
“This is just the most phenomenal recipe. I am obsessed.” Share PrintIngredients
- 375 g (1½ cups) dried red lentils
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, or any other oil of choice
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala (you can substitute with curry powder)
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock
- 250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
- 200 g (7 oz) canned diced tomatoes (see note 1)
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 tbsp sugar (any type)
- 100 g (2 cups) baby spinach leaves
- Plain yoghurt
- ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
- Crispy fried shallots (optional), available at the supermarket or Asian grocery stores
- 4 store-bought roti breads (optional, see note 2)
- Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils – Place the lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under running water until the water runs clear.
- Cook the onion, garlic and ginger – Heat the coconut oil in a deep, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1 minute.
- Add the lentils and remaining ingredients – Add the spices and stir them through, then immediately add the rinsed lentils, vegetable stock, coconut milk, canned tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar.
- Cook – Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have softened.
- Stir the spinach through – Add the spinach leaves and stir them through – as soon as they have wilted, remove the pan from the heat.
- Serve – Serve with a swirl of plain yoghurt, some freshly chopped coriander, crispy fried shallots, the flaky roti and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Nutrition information
Disclaimer re gluten-free and dairy-free recipes
Tayla says:
Yum!! This was delish!
I was surprised, it was a lot yummier than I thought it would be. 1.5 year old also loved it.
Jocelyn says:
Such a delicious, budget-friendly, easy meal to make! My whole family enjoyed it, including our 2 year old!
This is the first recipe I made from your collection, and excited to try out more of your recipes!