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Coconut Red Lentil Dal (v)

orange lentil dahl with carrots inside cast iron skillet
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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

This dal is creamy, flavorful, and filling! It's bloomed spices give it amazing flavor, while the creaminess from the coconut milk balances everything out. It's vegan, gluten-free, and super simple to make.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp mustard seed (whole)
  • 2 tbsp cumin seed (whole)
  • 1 medium onion (white or brown) (diced)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp tummeric powder
  • 2 large carrots (sliced)
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 cup split red lentils (massor dal)* (rinsed*)
  • 2.5 - 3 cups broth (I use bouillon cubes)
  • 1/2 cup peas (I use frozen, but canned or fresh work too)
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp kosher salt (to taste)

SERVING (OPTIONAL)

  • cilantro
  • rice, quinoa, naan

Instructions

  1. Heat coconut oil in pan over medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds to oil, stir to coat.
    Let them cook until they turn slightly brown and start becoming fragrant, 2-3 minutes. *Be care not to overcook as the mustard seeds burn easily. (Sometimes it's helpful to hover the pan over the heat source to avoid burning).
  2. Add onion, garlic, and spices, stirring occasionally until onion starts becoming fragrant and begins turning translucent, cook 3-4 minutes. 
  3. Add carrots, coconut milk, lentils, and broth (more brother yields a runnier dal, less broth yields a thicker dal).
  4. Bring mixture to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20-25  minutes until lentils are cooked. 
  5. Stir in peas, remove from heat. Adjust salt and spices to taste. Serve with rice/naan/quinoa and cilantro.

Notes

* Rinse split red lentils under running warm water in colander until water runs clear. Can use whole red lentils, just increase the cooking time a few minutes as split red lentils cook faster.

Stores in fridge at least one week.

Keywords: vegan, gluten-free, vegan coconut dal, cumin & mustard seed dal

Find it online: https://modernhomecook.com/coconut-red-lentil-dal/