Dahl

This vegan dahl is bursting with flavor! It's incredibly hearty and wholesome while also being rich in protein and nutrient-dense.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 4

Cook Time 45

Total Time 4 45

Servings people

Calories 354

Author Timothy Pakron

Ingredients

Dahl Base

1 ½ cups red lentils rinsed and soaked (at least 4 hours or overnight)
½ cup diced carrots about 1 small carrot
¾ cup diced celery about 1 large stalk
2 cups diced yellow onion about 1 medium onion
2 tablespoons ginger peeled and diced
1 small Thai chili thinly sliced
4 tablespoons vegan butter
Sea salt + black pepper to taste
4-5 fat garlic cloves thinly sliced
6 cups water
1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
2 tablespoons tamari
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
2 handfuls fresh spinach

Spice Blend

2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
½ tablespoon whole cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon curry powder
4-5 bay leaves fresh or dried
Optional Add-Ons
2 to 3 cups cooked basmati rice
1 large ripe avocado, cut into chunks
Plain coconut yogurt thick and tangy variety
1 bunch cilantro roughly chopped
2 large limes cut into wedges
Toasted bread or pita to dip

Instructions

In a large bowl, rinse and soak the red lentils for around 4 hours or overnight. Be sure to cover the lentils with enough water as they are going to soak up quite a bit. Once soaked, drain and rinse thoroughly. Set aside.
For this recipe, it is best to have everything prepped in bowls before you start to cook. Mix together the spice blend and chop all ingredients and have them ready to go. You don't want to be scrambling looking for spices once you start cooking.
Place a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegan butter and melt until bubbly. Then add the carrots, onions, celery, ginger, and chili pepper. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Let cook down for about 10 minutes, stirring every so often.
After the veggies have cooked down, add the spice blend and toast the spices and veggies over medium heat, mixing thoroughly. Add a splash of water to help the bottom from sticking and then add the garlic. Cook for a few more minutes, until the mixture smells outrageously fragrant.
Add the lentils, water, cherry tomatoes, tamari, yellow mustard, garlic powder, and salt, to taste. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer with a cracked lid. Cook down for about 30 minutes, stirring every so often, until the tomatoes and lentils become super tender.
When ready to serve, add the spinach and mix well. Once the leaves become wilted, give the dahl a taste. At this point, you can add more cayenne pepper or Thai chili if you like it to be spicer. Ladle over some rice and garnish with coconut yogurt, sliced avocado, and chopped cilantro. Serve with a piece of toasted bread or pita and a slice of lime.

Notes

You don't absolutely have to soak the red lentils but, from what I have read, if you soak them and drain the water, it helps to remove some of the phytic acid which makes them easier to digest. Doing so reduces the cooking time, as well!

If you don't have a Thai chili, you could use a jalapeño or serrano pepper. Dried chilis or red pepper flakes would also work beautifully!

If you'd like to use another green like kale, arugula, or swiss chard, those would work nicely.

When peeling the ginger, you don't have to get every last bit of the skin off. I honestly find that it doesn't affect the taste. You can use a spoon to scrape off as much as you can and then chop. Or you can opt to use a microplane if you have one.

If you don't have access to coconut yogurt, you could also use a drizzle of coconut milk or coconut cream. If you want to use another variety of plant-yogurt, just make sure it is thick and tangy and neutral in flavor. I don't want to hear any complaints if you use a gross vegan yogurt that tastes like vanilla. That's on you!

Nutrition