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South Indian dal served with basmati rice, surrounded by ingredients including tomatoes and red lentils.

South Indian Dal Recipe — Red Lentil Dal with Coconut Milk

5 from 2 votes
What I love most about my South Indian dal recipe is the flavor: it’s sweet, bold, earthy and warm all at once, and absolutely bursting with South Indian flavors like curry leaves, mustard seeds, and coconut milk. My family enjoys eating it with some steamed basmati rice. 
Servings: 6 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 jalapeño, de-seeded, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped (save some for garnishing)
  • 6 leaves curry
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, finely chopped
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 lemon, juiced

Instructions

  • Place a large pot over medium heat. 
  • Add olive oil, onions, ginger, and jalapeño. 
  • Add a couple of pinches of salt then cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are fully cooked.
  • Add curry leaves and mustard seeds. 
  • When mustard seeds start to pop, add the rest of the spices and garlic, then cook until fragrant. 
  • Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
  • Add lentils, stock, and coconut milk, and when bubbling starts, reduce heat to low.
  • Let the dal bubble away until lentils collapse and dal becomes creamy (about 20 minutes). 
  • Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary, then add a squeeze of lemon.
  • Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with rice and naan.

BON APPÉTIT!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6peopleCalories: 235kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 10gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 481mgPotassium: 515mgFiber: 11gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 557IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 4mg