Favorite Red Lentil Dahl

Onions simmering in olive oil until they’re translucent. Cumin sprinkled in and tossed for a few seconds, allowing the first, beautiful, aromatic scents of one our favorite meals to fill our home.

I can’t remember the first dahl recipe I tried, but I’m sure it was from an influencer or a google search gone right. Andrew and I have tried several versions since then, and haven’t found one that we don’t love.

However, lately our favorite is our own twist on Bianca Zapatka’s Indian Red Lentil Dahl. We make what we feel are a few solid enhancements. This is a simple, no-frills dahl that is a great introduction to Indian spices.

Ingredients you’ll need

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• 1 thumb ginger, minced (the refrigerated tubes work fine)

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1.5 Tbsp curry powder (we like Penzy’s Sweet Curry)

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 1.5 cups red lentils, rinsed

• 1 can of coconut milk

• 1 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped

• 2 cups fresh spinach

• Best served with: white basmati rice, fresh cilantro, slice of lime, naan bread

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a large saute pan (pan with some depth and sides to it) on medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook for a few minutes, until translucent.

2. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, chopped garlic, minced ginger. Stir together and let cook for another minute. Then add the curry powder and stir until you get a paste-like mixture. Be careful not to cook it too long or the spices will burn.

3. Add 3 cups of vegetable broth and lentils to the pan and stir together.

4. Cover pot and heat to low. Let the covered pot sit uninterupted for 8-10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the lentils.

5. Remove pot cover and add can of coconut milk and chopped tomatoes. Stir together well.

6. Let simmer for 15 minutes so that the flavors meld together. Taste and season with salt and pepper. You can then let it simmer or sit on low a little longer if you want to as the flavors just continue to develop over time.

7. Serve with basmati rice, chopped cilantro and a slice of lime. Naan is always a welcome side as well.

*TLDR changes we make to Bianca’s recipe:

• Use regular olive oil instead of coconut oil

• Use only one onion

• Add a teaspoon of cumin seeds to the onions once the onions are translucent, and toss for 15 seconds or so (you don’t want to burn them!) before adding the ginger and garlic

• Use real garlic and ginger

• Instead of adding all of the other individual Indian spices she lists, save time and buy a quailty curry powder. Use about a tablespoon and a half

• Use real tomatoes instead of canned

• Omit the coconut sugar (and we don’t add any other sugars in)

• *optional: stir in a few handfuls of spinach

Hope you enjoy!