After eating copious amounts of this traditional dish with my in-laws, I learned that this is an important dish for my partner. It’s associated with childhood memories and comfort. So I just had to learn how to make it.
I tried various recipes, then soon found my own way to cook it. And here it is. If you’re avoiding oil, just use water to sauté the spices. But otherwise this is WFPB recipe, and is a good source of iron and protein.
This serves 4-6 depending on what you’re serving it with. We often have it with a ‘chicken’ or soya meat curry and a side of spiced vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of red lentils
- 1 tin of coconut milk
- Half a red onion, finely chopped
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 small stick of cinnamon
- 1tsp of turmeric
- 200mls water
- 1tsp mustard seeds
- Half tsp chilli flakes, more of you want this hotter
- 1tsp ginger paste
- 1tsp garlic puree
- 1 sprig of curry leaves – dry or fresh is fine
- A splash of vegetable oil of your choice
Method
1. Put the red lentils, coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, onion, tomato and water into a large pan and combine well. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for around 20 minutes until the lentils are soft and liquid has reduced. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if it becomes dry
2. Heat the oil in a small pan and when hot, add the mustard seeds
3. Once the seeds have started popping, add the rest of the ingredients and fry for 2-3 minutes before removing from the heat
4. Once the lentils are soft, stir the spice mixture through
{Tip: if you’re making this for a family with children, keep a serving to one side for the kids before you add the spice mixture. It’s a lovely mild lentil curry for kiddos without the spices. My toddler loves it!}
Serve with curries, rice or bread of your choice.