This vegan one pot wonder is the ultimate comfort dish.
This meat – free dish is easy, quick … and it includes one of the healthiest (and cheapest) foods!
Split red lentils are packed with fiber, protein and are very nutrient dense, giving you a lot more bang for your buck. Coconut milk makes the dish very creamy and the heavy aromatic spice blend with tomatoes adds heaps of flavour and depth to the red lentils!
This comforting dahl is my go – to when I crave something warm and hearty yet have limited time. I also love to incorporate an extra vegetable into the dish such as roasted cauliflower, diced eggplants or grated carrots.
Try it out for your next vegetarian or vegan meal.
Serving size: Makes 4 – 5 cups
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp ginger, freshly grated
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) garam masala
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) ground coriander
- 2 tsp (10 mL) paprika powder
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) dried chili (optional)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
- 1 x 400 mL tin reduced fat coconut milk
- 1 x 400 mL tin tomatoes + 2 large tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1- 1.5 cups red lentils, uncooked
- Garnish: Fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped (optional)
Method:
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic and grated ginger to a large pot on high heat.
- Sauté for 3 – 4 minutes, adding splashes of water as needed to so it doesn’t burn. No oil is needed.
- Reduce the heat to medium and in all the spices. Stir for another 3 – 4 minutes, letting the spices become aromatic, as they dry roast, and add splashes of water if needed.
- Add the tomatoes and half of the coconut milk. Continue to stir and heat through for 5 minutes. Then add in the rest of the coconut milk and red lentils. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring on occasion until the lentils are fully cooked, about 15 – 20 minutes. Add another cup of water if consistency is too thick.
- Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with a variety of vegetables and a small portion of basmati or wild rice, bulgur wheat or any other wholegrain.
Variations: Add any other vegetables of choice such as cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes or even frozen peas. A delicious tip is to roast a big batch of mixed vegetables and serve it with the red lentil dahl.
Tip: Save some for leftovers … the flavours of the dish become stronger and are enhanced with time! This is also a great meal for meal – prep. Double the batch and freeze half of it for future enjoyment.
Storage: Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Dietitian’s Notes:
- Split Red Lentils: These little red discs are a fantastic source of fiber (soluble and insouble types) and complex carbohydrates while being very low in fat. They are protein packed and a great way to boost the plant protein of a meal. They are nutrient dense as they provide us with good sources of iron (non-heme iron), folate, potassium and vitamin C.
- Additionally, red lentils do not need to be soaked (they have been split and dehulled) and therefore cook very quickly making them very easy and versatile to add to (almost) any dish.
- Bonus: they are one of the cheapest sources of proteins to date! (#economical) Definitely add dried red lentils to your shopping lists!
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