Easy Red Lentil Daal
This recipe for an easy red lentil daal is something to have in your repertoire of quick but tasty recipes that are guaranteed to provide the food fuel you need and also satisfy your tastebuds! Once you get to know the recipe you don't really need to weigh out ingredients, instead you can "eyeball it" and add as many lentils and spices as you see necessary. But for when your starting out, this is a useful recipe to follow to get you used to making it. You can enjoy the daal with some rice, chapati, naan bread or alongside another vegan curry - or however you fancy it!
When I first turned vegetarian 2 and a half years ago (I went vegan about 6 months later), I was very much stuck in a rut of pasta, fake meats, eggs and pizzas. I was hardly eating healthier by cutting out meat and I wasn't being too creative with the foods I made. At the time, my boyfriend and I were long distance, with him living in a different country. Going to visit him was a real treat but as he lived in a Belgium, where there weren't too many fake meats available, I was used to having cheesy pastas or roast vegetables for my meals. I fully thank him for introducing daal into my life, teaching me how to make it, and teaching me how to finely cut an onion!
When I first turned vegetarian 2 and a half years ago (I went vegan about 6 months later), I was very much stuck in a rut of pasta, fake meats, eggs and pizzas. I was hardly eating healthier by cutting out meat and I wasn't being too creative with the foods I made. At the time, my boyfriend and I were long distance, with him living in a different country. Going to visit him was a real treat but as he lived in a Belgium, where there weren't too many fake meats available, I was used to having cheesy pastas or roast vegetables for my meals. I fully thank him for introducing daal into my life, teaching me how to make it, and teaching me how to finely cut an onion!
This daal is packed full of protein from the lentils and packed full of taste from all the spices! I like to make it in batches so I can enjoy it throughout the week, and it makes an excellent work lunch as all that protein keeps you full and the glorious way it smells is guaranteed to make everyone else in the lunchroom jealous!
Total time: 30 Minutes Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 400g Red Lentils
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Large Onion, finely chopped
- 1 Tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 Tsp Ginger Paste
- 1 Tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 Tsp Tumeric Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- Pinch of Chilli Flakes
- A Few Curry Leaves
- Lemon Juice
- Chopped Fresh Coriander
- Boil the lentils in water for around 10 minutes, until soft.
- Fry the cumin seeds in olive oil for a minute, then add the chopped onion until translucent.
- Add the garlic and ginger and fry for a few minutes, stirring to fully incorporate.
- Add the coriander and tumeric and fry for a few minutes.
- Pour in the lentils (with the water), salt and chilli flakes. Add a few curry leaves and stir well to mix everything.
- Cook on a medium heat with a lid on the pan, reducing the heat as the water reduces. If the daal is looking too thick, add a little water.
- Once the daal is cooked, add a little lemon juice and some fresh coriander.
- Service with rice or chapati and enjoy!