So good on its own or served over plain rice. This is comfort food at its best!
This Keralan masoor dhal is a quick and easy dish to put together. Although dhal is often served as a side dish, this one can stand on its own! There is so much flavour and it is delicious served over plain rice. I like it because it tastes really creamy and is creamy in texture but it is actually vegan! I use the thick coconut cream that is supplied by my sponsor Cocofina Coconut. I can highly recommend the product as it is 100% thick coconut milk with none of the coconut water that is usually found when you open a tin.
I am considering putting this recipe or something very similar in my third cookbook which will be vegetarian. If you happen to try this recipe, please let me know what you think.
Start by cooking the dhal. Once soft, add the coconut cream and turmeric.
To make the tarka, heat some oil and temper the whole spices and curry leaves.
Add the rest of the tarka ingredients and fry for a further five minutes until the onions are soft.
Pour the tarka over the cooked dhal and stir well.
Season with salt to taste and garnish with the chopped coriander.
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- 200g masoor dhal – rinsed and soaked in water for 10 minutes
- Water to cook
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 200ml thick coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
- FOR THE TARKA
- 4 tbsp. rapeseed or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 10 curry leaves
- 3 dried Kashmiri chillies – broken into pieces and seeds removed
- 1 red onion – finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic – finely sliced
- 3 green chillies
- Cover the masoor lentils with fresh water in a saucepan and simmer over medium high heat until soft. This should take about 20 minutes. Skim off any foam that comes to the top. Once soft, add the turmeric and coconut milk and simmer for a further five minutes.
- To save time, you can make the tarka while the lentils are cooking. To make the tarka, heat the oil over medium high heat in a small frying pan. When visibly hot, add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, stir in the cumin seeds, curry leaves and Kashmiri chillies. Allow this all to sizzle in the oil for about 30 seconds and then add the chopped onion.
- Fry the onion until translucent and soft. About five minutes should do the trick. Now add the garlic and green chillies. You only want to soften the garlic so be careful not to burn it or it will become bitter.
- When the dhal is cooked, pour the tarka mixture over the top. Season with salt to taste and garnish with the chopped coriander. You can eat this on its own or serve over rice.
East End Foods sponsors my blog. I highly recommend their top quality spices, dhal and rice.
Cocofina Coconut is a sponsor of my blog. I love their coconut products and highly recommend them. You can get more information here.
This was beautiful, absolutely lovely. I served it with plain boiled rice and your chicken tikka (also amazing) and I’m finding it hard to believe I created something so delicious. Still grinning! Thank you and keep up the hard work!
Liz
Thank you very much Liz! I’m really happy you are enjoying the recipes.
Dan