Today’s Friday Foods is a recipe I found on Loving It Vegan. I wanted to try something new and different, plus to use up some of the ingredients in our pantry. This recipe is for Red Lentil Dal. Dal is a term used in the Indian subcontinent for dried, split pulses (i.e. lentils and peas) that do not require soaking. There are many different ways to make Dal, but this recipe is more like a thick soup.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium Onion (chopped)
1 tbsp Crushed Garlic (about two cloves)
1 tsp minced Ginger
2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Curry Powder (I used Mild, but you can choose Spicy if you like the kick)
2 Cups/400g of Dried Red Lentils
1 14oz/400g can Chopped Tomato
3 Cups/720 ml Vegetable Stock
1 can Coconut Milk
The recipe calls for 2 tbsp of coconut sugar, but offers brown sugar as an alternative. I did not use either for my recipe.
Salt & Pepper to taste
You can also serve with basmati rice or popadoms, but I didn’t serve with these. I just made the Dal for supper.
First, add olive oil to a pot and add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until the onions are soft.
Next, add the turmeric, coriander powder, cinnamon, curry powder, and red lentils. Sauté the lentils with the spices briefly, then add the tomato, vegetable stock, and the coconut milk.
Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat. Keep stirring regularly and check that you don’t overcook the lentils. It took about 10 minutes for the lentils to be fully cooked.
Then, salt and pepper to taste. All finished! Now you have a delicious, hearty, and vegan meal!
Next time I make it, I would like to try it over rice. It was still filling without and we had leftovers for the next day. Hope you enjoy this meal!
xx Hannah
Idealistic Iowan 