Coconut Lentil Dahl

This month I'm sharing one of my absolute 'go to' recipes; my coconut lentil dahl. I have been making this recipe since I first went plant based in 2014 and it never lets me down.

This recipe is simple, pretty fast to make, and will go down well with omnivores and vegans alike. Whether I am cooking for someone and don't have a lot of time to prepare, or if I want to cook something that feels a little more special and comforting just for myself, I'll go for this recipe.

Red lentils are a great source of plant-based protein. The full-fat coconut milk in this recipe gives it a wonderfully indulgent creaminess, but if you want to make this recipe on a regular basis, opt for low fat, or even swap for an oat or soya yogurt instead. To make this recipe even quicker, you could opt for pre-chopped onions, or garlic and ginger pastes.

This recipe is perfect as a side, or you can make it a main simply by adding sweet potato in with the lentils and a few handfuls of spinach at the end to provide extra nutrients and plant diversity. The sweet potato cooks down and becomes beautifully soft and delicious. This dahl is even better after a night in the fridge, so don't forget to enjoy the leftovers!

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil (or alternative plant oil)
• 2 small onions (diced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (peeled and minced)
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 400g red lentils (2 cups)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 450ml of water
• Bunch of fresh coriander

Method

1. Put the oil into a large saucepan with the onions, ginger and garlic and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the onions are softened
2. Stir in the spices, lentils, coconut milk and water
3. Cook for 35-45 minutes until the lentils are soft and the mix has thickened up
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the coriander, saving some to garnish
5. Serve with brown rice, mango chutney and a few salad leaves