Do you know what’s so great about cooking at home? You can enjoy the flavors of so many different cuisines anytime you want. My Vegan Indian Red Lentil Dal (Curry) is so flavorful, you won’t believe how incredibly simple it is.
I did a little reading and dal is actually the Indian name for pulses, but also the name of a dish. There are a ton of different ways to make dal, so you just have to find the one that works for you. I have a feeling that my recipe will become your favorite.
I like a creamy curry, so there is room for you to scoop the dal with some warm naan.
If you’ve never made Indian-inspired dishes before, you may not have some of the necessary spices. However, once you get them, you will find yourself using them more often. I often use the same spice combinations in many of my dishes.
Check out these other Indian-inspired dishes to use up those fresh spices:
I was also doing some quick math on how inexpensive this dish is too. I purposefully used ingredients that are common and don’t cost a lot of money. I used water instead of stock, but you could use a vegetable stock for more flavor, just be aware of the extra sodium.
Meat is getting more expensive everyday and lentils are CHEAP you guys!
Did you check out the nutrition on this? If you’re worried about not getting enough protein, forget about it – lentils have you covered. You get 13 grams of protein AND over 6 grams of fiber in this alone. Most likely, you’ll probably have a salad or add some brown rice and you’ll be hitting your fiber goals in no time.
We could all use a few more plant based dishes in our repertoire and Vegan Indian Red Lentil Dal (Curry) a good one!
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Vegan Indian Red Lentil Dal (Curry)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or another neutral oil (canola, coconut)
1 medium yellow or red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon each: Kosher salt, turmeric, paprika, garam masala
1/2 teaspoon each: cumin, coriander
1 cup red lentils
2.5 cups water
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup full fat coconut milk (from the can)
Optional: Cilantro for garnish, naan bread for dipping
Instructions
In a large cast iron skillet over medium heat, add oil and heat until it shimmers.
Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute.
Add all the spices and salt and stir in with the onions and garlic.
Add the lentils, water, and tomato sauce. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.
Use a little extra coconut milk to stir into the finished dal.
Serve with naan bread if you choose.
Notes
– instead of using extra coconut milk to stir in at the end, you could use a coconut yogurt.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes