This immune-boosting Daal is packed with flavor and benefits, featuring anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cayenne pepper.
Daal
Daal (also spelled Dal, Dahl, or Dhal) refers to dried split beans that don’t need soaking, as well as soups made from them. In South Asian cooking, any dish or soup with split beans is called daal, like Daal Makhani (creamy lentil soup with black lentils and kidney beans) or Chawli Daal (Black Eyed Beans). For this recipe, it’s a spiced Indian red lentil curry.
This Daal is hearty, aromatic, and packed with immune-boosting spices. It’s my go-to when I feel a cold coming on! It’s gluten-free (check labels), dairy-free, high in plant protein, rich in fiber, and low in fat and calories.
Let’s Chat Lentils
Use dried red lentils for this recipe. Bob’s Red Mill® is my favorite (not sponsored). No need to soak—just sort, rinse, and cook! Red lentils thicken nicely, so don’t substitute other types.
Puy lentils take 45-50 minutes and absorb too much liquid. Brown/green lentils cook slower and taste different.
Canned lentils won’t thicken properly, resulting in a soupier consistency.
Tips:
- Older lentils take longer to cook; check for pale color.
- Sort for debris before rinsing.
- Rinse right before adding to the pot to prevent clumping.
- For more bite, cook less. For creamier lentils, add more stock and cook longer.
Shortcuts
Daal Shortcuts
This recipe is aimed at being quick and easy. It’s also fairly hands-off once you’ve got everything in the pot! Here are a few shortcuts to speed up the process:
- Quick garlic and ginger. We love Dorot’s® garlic and ginger cubes. They have crushed garlic and crushed ginger that you can keep handy in the freezer and pop into this (and other) recipes when needed. (Check if your local store carries them; they’re typically found with frozen veggies in the grocery store). Another option is to use refrigerated garlic paste and refrigerated minced garlic.
- Pre-diced onions. Most grocery stores sell diced yellow onions in the produce section of the store. Alternatively, frozen diced onions are often found by the other frozen veggies and can be used in Daal. Or, use a food processor to quickly chop an onion.
Daal Serving Suggestions
Some roasted broccoli or roasted green beans would make nice sides.
As far as toppings, below are my favorites:
- Fresh lemon zest and juice: Lemon adds a refreshing brightness and welcome acidity.
- Cilantro: If you’re not a fan, it’s fine to leave it out!
- Toasted coconut flakes: If you love coconut, you’ll enjoy the subtle sweetness and crunch it adds.
- Raita: This creamy condiment is a favorite and comes together quickly. Check out the quick tip below for our raita recipe.
Quick Tip
Quick cucumber raita: Add the following ingredients to a medium-sized bowl: 1/2 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt (we love Greek Gods®), 1/2 cup finely chopped English or Persian cucumber, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons chopped green onions, and 1/4 teaspoon each: cumin, coriander, and fine sea salt. Stir until combined and then refrigerate. Stir before adding to the Daal.
More Recipes With Lentils
- Lentil Bolognese with loads of “hidden” veggies
- Lentil Salad with a tangy lemon dressing
- Curry Lentil Soup with sweet peas
- Lentil Curry with crushed tomatoes
- Lentil Soup with sweet potatoes
Daal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion 1 medium onion
- 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic 4 cloves
- 2 teaspoons finely minced ginger
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup red lentils see note 1
- 1-1/2 cups vegetable stock I love Swanson
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk see note 2
- Cooked basmati rice for serving, see note 3
- Serving suggestions see note 4
Instructions
- Add melted coconut oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add in diced onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden, 6–8 minutes. Add in garlic, ginger, tomato paste, seasonings, and salt and pepper to taste (I add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper). Add optional 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper here if you like some heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and tomato paste begins to darken, 3–4 minutes. Reduce heat or add a tiny splash of water if needed—nothing should be burning; we are looking for everything to get very fragrant.
- Pour in vegetable stock and scrape the bottom of the pan. Rinse lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Add lentils and the coconut milk. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom until lentils are tender to desired preference, 25–35 minutes (see note 5).
- Remove from heat. Add in 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice (if using). Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed. Serve over rice garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted coconut flakes if desired. Enjoy immediately!
Video
Recipe Notes
- Fill a large pot with water and set it to boil.
- Once water is at a rolling boil, generously salt the water and add rice.
- Cook without reducing the heat for 6 minutes (Taste test to ensure it is tender.), then drain and fluff with a fork. Easy!
- Raita: If you’d like a creamy sauce, I recommend this quick cucumber raita: Add the following ingredients to a medium bowl: 1/2 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup finely chopped English or Persian cucumber, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons chopped green onions, 1/4 teaspoon each: cumin, coriander, and fine sea salt. Stir until combined and refrigerate. Stir before adding.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was so delicious! I diced some carrots and threw them in with the onions and added microwaved frozen peas at the end. I loved how yummy and nutritious this is. Thank you!
Yum! I am so glad you enjoyed this Daal! Thanks Carmen! 🙂
I have been looking for good healthy vegetarian meals to include in our dinner rotation and this fits the bill! This was delicious, both my husband and I enjoyed it very much. Thanks Chelsea!
Yay! So great to hear! Glad you enjoyed this recipe Eva!
interesting recipe I will try it because of my experience a long time ago with lentils
I hope you enjoy!