red lentil dal

Red Lentil Dal

Looking to add more lentils to your diet? Then this recipe is for you. I love red lentils as they are so easy to cook. They have a nutty and sweet flavor and take less than 30 minutes to cook. If you have time, I recommend soaking the red lentils in water prior to cooking to help remove the phytic acid. This helps with digestion and increases the bioavailability of nutrients. I recommend soaking for 4 to 6 hours in water with a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. The acidity helps neutralize the phytic acid which then increases the mineral bioavailability. But if you don’t have time to soak the lentils, don’t worry. The lentils cook in under 30 minutes without being soaked.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Onions, diced

3 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbsp Ginger, peeled and grated

1/2 tsp Chilli flakes

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Coriander seeds

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

2 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Garam masala

200g Dried red lentils

400ml Coconut milk

400ml Chopped tomatoes

500ml Vegetable stock

2 Handfuls fresh spinach

Squeeze of lemon

Creating the Magic!

If you have time, rinse your lentils and let them soak in water for a 4 to 6 hours prior to cooking. This will help with digestion and increase the bioavailability of the nutrients from the lentils (soaking helps reduce the lentils' phytic acid - phytic acid reduces the availability of vitamins and minerals). Once they have soaked for a couple of hours, rinse and remove the water.

Start by tempering the whole spices. Place a small skillet on the stovetop and heat it up. Do not add any oil. Once the pan is hot, place the coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds in the pan and toast for about 30 seconds. Remove from the pan and place the seeds in a pestle and mortar. Grind the seeds. (You can skip heating up the spices if you are short on time and simply grind the seeds prior to placing them in the pan).

Heat a glug of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the onion gently for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and red chilli and cook for a few minutes more. Add the crushed seeds to the pan along with the turmeric and garam masala and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the lentils along with the tomatoes, coconut milk and stock, then stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook on a medium/low heat until thick - at least 15-20 minutes (stirring often so that it doesn't stick to the pan). Taste and add more chilli if desired.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice and the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt and then serve with your chosen accompaniment.