Vegan Dahl

I absolutely adore dahl, a common dish in Indian cuisine. There are many variations using different types of lentils but I particularly love using red lentils, also known as ‘masoor’ in Hindi. That is where the inspiration of this dish comes from! In my own rendition of this hearty stew-like recipe, this vegan dahl starts with a foundation made from diced onions, carrots, and celery with which to cook the gorgeous red lentils. A healthy amount of fresh ginger provides a comforting warmth to the dish that I find to be very grounding. One important step in this recipe is the toasting of the spices. This intensifies their flavor making this vegan dahl incredibly delicious.

THIS VEGAN DAHL IS NUTRIENT-DENSE

I also love that the spinach is thrown in right before serving. This provides some greens and a nice variation of texture. Then the dahl is poured over a mound of fluffy basmati rice and dolloped with a scoop of tangy coconut yogurt. For some healthy fat, I like to add ripe avocado. The rich texture is a nice contrast to the savory, soft lentils. A sprinkling of fresh cilantro provides a final hit of flavor that’s rounded out from the acidity of freshly squeezed lime juice. It’s sensory overload in the best way possible, not to mention packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

MY TRANSLATION OF VEGAN DAHL

You’ll notice in this gorgeous pile of diced vegetables a little pop of dark green. That’s a Thai chili! This may not be a traditional ingredient to use but I just love the spice that Thai chilis offer. It hits your mouth in a different way than, say, cayenne pepper or hot sauce. It reminds me of the same warming properties that ginger has, a delightful touch to any comforting recipe. You can certainly use a jalapeño or bird’s eye chili if you’d like. But if you have access to Thai chilis, I’d definitely recommend trying them out for this recipe.

THIS VEGAN DAHL IS PROTEIN-RICH

Red lentils are different than, say, brown or dark green lentils in that they break down while cooking. In some recipes, you might desire a lentil that holds its shape, say for sprinkling over a salad or serving in a brothy soup. For this vegan dahl, we want the lentils to break down. This helps to create a thicker, more porridge-like texture for which dahl is known. It also creates a beautiful starchy foundation that is the perfect blank canvas for toasted spices. Don’t worry if you don’t have red lentils though. You could also use yellow moong dahl (this will be quick) or yellow split peas (these will need to be cooked longer and they won’t break down quite as much). Lastly, and very importantly, all of these lentils offer an incredible amount of protein.

SPICES AND AROMATICS

Now I know that this may look like a lot of spices. You’d be correct! This recipe has loads of them. We’re talking all-stars like cumin, coriander, ground mustard and ginger, golden turmeric, and spicy cayenne pepper. These, combined with nutty nutritional yeast and fresh or dry bay leaves, create an intense medley of flavors that all work synergistically to deliver a pungent burst of flavor in each spoonful.

The trick for this recipe (and honestly any recipe using dried spices like these) is to toast them. No need to do this in a separate pan. I simply add them to the sautéed veggies and plant-based butter. As you cook them for a few minutes with the piping hot buttery vegetables, you’ll immediately notice an earthy aroma wafting throughout your kitchen. That’s what we’re looking for! One more note I wanted to mention is that we are using vegan butter for richness. Ghee is traditionally used in dahl (this is clarified butter), so I find that adding a scoop of vegan butter really helps to provide a hit of butter flavor in this plant-based translation.

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS

This vegan dahl is ideal to serve with basmati rice (here’s my fool-proof recipe). I think the flavor and texture pair beautifully with this dish, but feel free to use whatever rice you have on hand or even something like quinoa or millet. I had a homemade loaf of turmeric sourdough bread that I toasted and used to dip into the bowl. Of course, you could use whatever sourdough you can get your hands on or toasted pita bread would also be a delicious dunking vessel. (The flatbread from my Rosemary Tempeh Flatbread would also be divine.) To take it completely over the top, creamy avocado slices and a dollop of thick coconut yogurt make this dish magnificent!

ENJOY!

One final and very important note: this red lentil dahl is 10x better the next day after sitting in the fridge. All of the flavors develop beautifully and really marry together. When reheating, simply add a few splashes of water with a pinch of salt to thicken up the mixture.

So there you have it, my friends. Vegan dahl done my way. I hope that you enjoy this recipe! Please let me know if you try it in the comments below and, of course, tag me on social media as I love to see it. Thank you for being here!

-Timothy

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THESE:

Red Beans & Rice

Mushroom Vegetable Stew

Gumbo