Dahl is one of those staple Indian dishes that can be served a million ways. We love Indian Dahl for its diversity, nutrition content, satiating powers, and extremely easy preparation. In under an hour, you can have a giant pot of dahl ready for dinner tonight and several meals throughout the week. It’s soothing, comforting, nutritious, and deliciously fragrant. Be sure to check out the Make It a Meal section below for creative ideas to enjoy your dahl.
Ingredients for Easy Indian Dahl
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons whole mustard seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated
6 cups water
3 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup yellow lentils
1/2 cup white or brown basmati rice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro
Optional toppings
Roasted or steamed broccoli or cauliflower
Fresh spinach
Cherry tomatoes
Diced red onion
Flaky sea salt
Instructions
1. In a dry skillet over medium heat, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds. Sauté until toasted and highly aromatic. Add turmeric, cayenne, and cardamom, and cook for one minute before transferring mixture to a separate dish. Set aside.
2. In a soup pot over medium-high heat, heat water. Add garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add lentils, rice, and toasted spices. Stir well to incorporate, cover, and turn heat down to medium-low. Allow mixture to simmer gently for 45 minutes.
4. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh cilantro to serve.
Make it a meal
Top hot dahl with steamed or roasted broccoli florets, sliced cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, and a sprinkling of sea salt.
Serve hot dahl over a steamed or roasted sweet potato, purple sweet potato, or Japanese sweet potato. Add a steamed vegetable side or a simple salad to get in those greens.
Stir in a big handful of steamed spinach and top with diced tomatoes.
Amp up the protein and top with store-bought marinated or homemade seared and seasoned tofu.
Recipe reposted with permission of Healthy Vegan by Colleen Holland. If you’re a recipe developer, athlete, or just proud to be dairy-free, sign up to be a part of our growing team of go-getter individuals!
