Creamy red lentil and coconut dahl

This uses a few spices, but once you’ve bought them, this dish becomes a wonderful store-cupboard supper. Garlic is a great source of vitamin C and manganese, as well as minerals including calcium and potassium. Ginger is great for blood circulation and has been used for generations as an anti-inflammatory and cure for nausea.

Creamy red lentil and coconut dahl Credit: Clare Winfield

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

 

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2.5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp white mustard seeds
• ½ tsp nigella seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 200 g red lentils
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 400 ml can coconut milk
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve 

• handful of coriander leaves
• natural yogurt (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low to medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for a minute or so, until fragrant. Add all of the seeds and fry for a further minute, until the spices smell slightly toasted and aromatic. Scrape in the onion and fry for a further 5–6 minutes, until softened. Stir through the turmeric and fry for a final minute, before adding the lentils.
   
2. Tip in the tomatoes and coconut milk and season to taste. Half-fill the tomato can with water and add to the pan. Bring the mixture up to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the dahl to gently bubble away, stirring from time to time, for 20–25 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the sauce has thickened and reduced.
   
3. Divide the dahl between four bowls and serve with a sprinkle of coriander and dollop of yogurt.

Taken from The Goodness of Coconut: 40 Irresistible Energy-Packed Recipes by Emily Jonzen, published by Kyle Books. Priced at £9.99. Photography by Clare Winfield.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.