A wonderful cheep and cheerful lentil Dahl with warming spices. 

Inspired by Padma Patil

This recipe is:

🥘 vegan

🥘 cheap & cheerful

🥘 easy to make

🥘 crowd pleaser

🥘 perfect for meal prep

Yield: 4-6 witches

Ingredients

Dahl

• 1 onion
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 4 curry leaves
• 1 thumb size piece of ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp fresh yellow curry paste 
• 1 can coconut milk
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika, garam masala and turmeric (use these spices to taste)
• 2 lime leaves
• 250 grams of red lentils or dahl lentil mix
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander stalks
• Salt and pepper

Rice

The best rice to serve with this Dahl is basmati rice. Wash and cleanse the rice first. Cook with a cardamom pod or clove to make the rice fragrant. Always salt your cooking water and boil the rice according instructions on the package. 

Soak your lentils 12hrs before you are going to cook the dish.

Naan

A very populair side dish to eat with curry is naan bread. Usually not vegan. I always make this recipe by eye. I use 1,5 cup of all-purpose flour. Mix in 2 tbsp vegan yoghurt. A pinch of baking powder and salt. 1 tbsp of olive oil and form the dough with lukewarm water. Work the dough until soft, fluffy and light. Not sticky at all. 

Fry off in a hot cast iron pan with coconut oil on both sides. With charred and dark bubbles with hot air pockets. 

Cucumber raita (vegan yoghurt dip)

• 2 cups vegan yoghurt of choice
• 2 tsp dried mint
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Half a cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper

Garnish

🥘 fresh coriander

🥘 nigella and sesame seeds

🥘 red onions

🥘 dried rose petals

🥘 flaked almonds

Magical method lentil dahl:

1. Soak your lentils in cold water 12 hrs before you start cooking.
2. Chop up your onion, garlic and ginger. 
3. Heat up a heavy bottom pan on medium heat. And add a shot of oil of your choice to the pan.
4. Cook your onions and aromatics until fragrant and golden.
5. Add all the spices and wake all the flavours up but keep stirring.
6. If the spices stick a little pan, add a splash of water to bring everything together.
7. Grab your currypaste and add to the flavour party as well. 
8. Along with the tomato paste, chopped coriander stalks, curry leaves, lime leaf and salt and pepper.
9. Fry off until the tomato paste is fully incorperated. 
10. Dunk in the lentils and stir around. 
11. Top the pan with vegetable stock and coconut milk.
12. Turn the heat on low and cook for 25 minutes. First 10 minutes lid off and then on the remaining time.
13. Fresh the curry up with fresh lime juice and salt and pepper.
14. Cook until the lentils are broken and mingled into the curry sauce. 
15. Serve with all the sides and enjoy the comforting magic.