Quick and Easy Lentil Dal recipe

This quick and easy lentil dal recipe makes a nourishing light lunch or a protein-rich side dish to your favourite curry. It is ready in just 30 minutes and uses one pan. This dal makes a satisfying and easy vegan or vegetarian meal, especially if served with naan bread or rice.

What is Lentil Dal?

Originating in India it refers to dried split pulses. (The word itself can be spelt many ways, dal, dahl, daal are just a few of them.) Typically these are pulses that don’t need to be soaked before cooking, beans such as mung beans, yellow split peas and different types of lentils. This makes them extremely useful in creating a protein-rich, quick to ‘get to the table’ meal. 

However, dal also refers to a gently spiced soup style curry made using these pulses (dal).

This recipe uses split red lentils along with a few readily available spices. Happily, red lentils are also easy to find in the shops, they’re also economical and make a really useful pantry staple.

Features of this Dal recipe

• it’s a versatile recipe. It can be a side dish or turned into a main meal.
• don’t need soaking – red lentils do not need to be pre-soaked. Just wash them and get cooking.
• quick – red lentils cook in about 20 minutes and then break down to form a creamy sauce – perfect for dal making.
• cooks in one pan – no need for lots of pots.
• can be prepared ahead to make your life easier.
• flavourful – amount of spices can be adjusted to suit your personal tastes.
• adds a protein rich dish as part of a vegan or vegetarian meal. If you’re catering for a family that has a mixture of different diets like I do, this can be really helpful. I love anything that cuts down on some of the complications that brings.
• it’s delicious.

Notes on Ingredients

These are just a few notes on the ingredients used in this easy lentil dal. The full details are in the recipe card below.

• onion – use a medium sized onion, brown or red.
• garlic – If you feel that you’d like more garlic in your dal then go ahead and add more.
• split red lentils – use dried red lentils. These will need to be washed thoroughly. Not sure about how to do that… wash them through a sieve. It’s really easy to do and they won’t disappear down the sink….. just saying.
• coconut milk – I use reduced fat coconut milk but if you want this to be really creamy then go for the full fat version.
• kale– available from the green grocer or the supermarket – grab a handful of these healthy leaves and add them to the dal towards the end of the cooking time. Substitute spinach if you prefer.
• root ginger – I love the flavour of root ginger in curries. Peel and finely chop before adding to the dal. You can also use the larger sized holes on a box grater if you’re not confident of your knife skills. It will then just melt into the curry leaving only it’s wonderful flavour behind.
• spices – this dish uses a few different spices. You’ll need curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne for heat

Making this Red lentil dal recipe

The method for making this easy dal and everything that you need to know about cooking this dish can be found in the recipe below.

Turning Red lentil dal into a hearty meal

This easy Red Lentil Dal recipe is pretty wonderful as it is but should you wish to turn it into a main meal. It’s pretty simple to do.

My favourite way to eat this quick and easy meal, is at lunchtime, with warmed flatbreads and a little Indian style pickle. However, it doesn’t take much to turn this dish into a main meal that will satisfy healthy appetites. All you need to do is add a few other ingredients. Read our suggestions below.

• Use any left over cooked vegetables from a previous meal. For example, left over potatoes (roast ones work well), carrots, cauliflower or broccoli. It’s best to add these vegetables towards the end of the cooking time as they only need enough time to warm through.
• Add courgettes and peppers and maybe some diced carrots. Add raw carrots at the same time as the red lentils and add courgettes and peppers towards the end of the cooking time to avoid them going mushy. Chop a couple of carrots into quite small dice. (This makes the cooking time shorter and it looks pretty.)
• cauliflower – add some cauliflower florets… cauliflower is awesome in curry. Cut large florets in half.
• Add a tin of chickpeas to add texture and to satisfy larger appetities.

Serving Red Lentil Dal

Eat this delicious lentil dal directly out of a bowl with a spoon but that seems like a lost opportunity. So, here are a few more ideas.

• eat with flatbreads, naan, poppadoms, pitta breads. They make a nice scoop for the creamy dal.
• eat alongisde rice – which will make it a more substantial meal.
• add your favourite Indian pickles.
• serve over jacket potatoes – not exactly authentic but they go together really well. Try it.
• sprinkle over some chopped fresh coriander.
• how about a yogurt raita?

Storage

Homemade dal will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavour tends to develop even more in that time.

This is a great make-ahead meal, as it can be successfully frozen for up to 3 months. Just freeze, once cold, in a suitable container. Thaw it out overnight in the fridge and reheat either in the microwave or on the hob until steaming hot.

F.A.Q’s

Do I need to pre-soak the red lentils?

No, you do not need to pre-soak split red lentils. They can be safely cooked from raw. They do need washing before you use them, which can be easily done. Just rinse them under the tap using a fine-meshed sieve. Red lentils usually take about 15 to 20 minutes to cook thoroughly. They then break down to make a rich puree, which makes them good in soups and casseroles. They are brilliant in dal recipes. Some varieties of lentils take longer to cook so always check the information on the packaging.

Is this Dal recipe Vegan?

Yes, this dal is naturally vegan.

How long does dal stay fresh?

Dal can be successfully stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. It is a good recipe to make ahead for those days when you know that you’re short of time for preparing a good nutritious meal. It also freezes well. Freeze it, once cold, in a suitable container and it will be ok for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating and heat until it is piping hot. You will need to stir it whilst re-heating to combine everything thoroughly

If you like this then you may also like…

• 4-ingredient yoghurt flatbreads
• Homemade baked beans
• Spicy Lentil Soup
• Vegan Mango Lassi
• Mushroom Stroganoff

Over to you… I’d love to know how you enjoy your dal?

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