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Comforting Coconut Red Lentil Dal
37 min
Main
Freezer-friendly
Budget-friendly
Servings
Total
37 minPrep
10 minCook
27 minFree from
soy
peanut
tree nut
sesame
gluten
Ingredients
Lentil daal
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1 Tbsp (15ml)vegetable oil
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1medium onion, chopped
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3garlic cloves, minced
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1carrot, finely chopped
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1 Tbsp (6g)freshly grated ginger
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1 tsp (3g)ground turmeric
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1 tsp (2g)ground cumin
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½ tspsweet paprika powder
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1 pinchsalt, to taste
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2 cups (480ml)vegetable broth
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1⅔ cups (400ml)canned full-fat coconut milk
Spiced rice
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1½ cups (300g)uncooked basmati rice, soaked for 2 hours, drained †
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2¼ cups (540ml)water
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6cardamom pods, cracked
Optional garnish
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fresh cilantro
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unsweetened coconut yogurt
Directions
- Add the oil, onion, and garlic to a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the carrot and ginger, and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add all of the spices. Stir for 30 - 60 seconds to toast the spices.
- Add the lentils and vegetable broth. Cover, and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the rice, water, and cardamom to a medium pot. Simmer covered for 13 minutes until cooked. Then remove from the heat and cover with a lid until ready to serve.
- Add the coconut milk and cook until heated through.
- Serve the rice alongside the daal. Garnish as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- †If you did not soak the rice, you may need to add more water.
Storage
- Store the daal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Let us know what you think
Watch it step-by-step!
Plate method
The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.
Grains & Starches 41%
• uncooked basmati rice
Proteins 46%
• dry red lentils
Fruits & Veggies 13%
• medium onion
• garlic clove
• carrot
• freshly grated ginger
Calcium
No significant sources of calciumFat
• vegetable oil
• canned full-fat coconut milk
Nutrition info
Focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. For specific nutrition needs due to a medical condition, consult a dietitian or physician. While we strive to provide accurate nutritional information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. See our disclaimer for details.
Leave a comment
Absolutely delicious! The ginger touch it's now a must in the futures curry
Loved this recipe! I’ve tried many curries, and this one was not only easy and fast to make, but the flavor of cardamom in rice complemented the spices in lentils sooooo well. Lovely!
Not my favorite curry recipe. Nothing was bad about it, it was just kind of bland. Maybe more spices would help? Also it needs more rice than the recipe states.
A delicious staple of mine. I wonder if this would work well with a red or green curry paste…?
I increasingly find myself bewildered by the serving sizes in this app. 50 grams uncooked rice for one serving!? Isn’t that a bit extreme? I have tried this serving size on two of my friends that i know to be small eaters. And even for them it wasn’t enough. Same with pasta and potatoes serving sizes on this app. If this is a way to hide that this is a dieting app, i would be heartbroken since i love the recipes and this app really helps me loads with planning meals, doing groceries and trying out new foods.
So delicious! It's a perfect combination of ingredients, really tasty, creamy, and comforting. I'll be making this recipe over and over again ❤️
My family loved this recipe.
Amazing! The hole familiy loves it and it's now a staple in our house for several years! Thank you for your work and passion! <3
Indeed a thoroughly comforting Dahl recipe, it was spiced really well & deliciously creamy. I paired it with the Tandoori Aubergine from another recipe on here & it worked so beautifully together!
This Comforting Coconut Red Lentil Daal has been a staple in my home for years. My husband and I are big fans of Pick Up Limes recipes, and this one has always been a particular favorite – so much so, I've memorized the original recipe by heart.
Recently, a friend asked me for the recipe after he and his wife enjoyed it at our place. This prompted me to revisit the Pick Up Limes website, and I discovered the recipe has been updated. The cooking time is shorter now, and the coconut milk is added at the end rather than earlier in the process.
I tried the new version, following the instructions carefully. While it's still a good dish, I realized I much prefer the original. I found the longer cooking time in the old recipe resulted in more tender lentils, which are gentler on my stomach. The flavor profile of the original, with the coconut milk cooking alongside the lentils, also seemed richer and more developed to my taste.
I understand that the Pick Up Limes team likely had good reasons for updating the recipe, and I appreciate their work. However, for my husband and me, the original version remains the ultimate comfort food. It's the one we'll continue to make, even if it means referring to my memorized version rather than the current online instructions. If you're new to this recipe, I'd almost suggest trying to find the older version if possible!
Just a question: Is it correct that the rice is made without any salt? As I plan to cook this daal tonight for friends the answer will probably come too late and I will try it with salt. But please answer me as I'd like to know how this recipe is intended to be cooked.
Another incredible recipe that comes together so beautifully and quick 😍😍
Simply Delicious. I served it on a bed of steamed spinach & kale rather than the rice as 8 prefer my curried dishes this way.
I had NO idea lentils could be this good
Amazing!
Nice, needs a lot more salt than suggested
Really easy recipe and super tasty. I have made it ahead for lunch and dinner over next couple of days.
it’s so good! and really quick & easy
This was dinner tonight -- full of flavour, as we always expect with your recipes. I was wanting something with red lentils and, thanks to a great way to search, I found just the dish. Easy to make and full of flavour (I doubled the ginger & curry, but that's just a personal preference). I wouldn't hesitate to serve this to company.
Excellent and fragrant
Delicious!
This recipe is delicious and like the title says, very comforting (especially on a cold day!)
Another winner. Easy, quick, but more importantly it’s flavourful!
Super tasty, love it. I just prefer to double all the spices.
Tasty. Easy to make. Will make again. 🥰
Mild but easy and effective.
I would reduce the amount of cardamom in the rice and add salt + bay leaves.
For the curry, miso paste or tamari.really helps make the flavours pop.
I’ve made this recipe a few times and always love it. It’s really simple and requires few and basic ingredients. I usually serve it with something green, broccoli or spinach.
Mild but aromatic. A great option when you have a toddler. We added peas as well because the carrot we had was tiny. I might add more vegetables next time. I think broccoli would be good.
I think my spices may be a little old - I felt like I wanted some mustard seeds or something as well.
I adore this recipe, and I revisit it often when I'm sick or on my period or just tired, and it never fails me. Just a lovely comfort meal -- and it makes perfect leftovers! Thank you for this one.
Very comforting. We ate in in the evening while watching our favourite TV show. It was so cozy and delicious!
Easy and quick to make, and so delicious!!
My husband and I absolutely adore this dish - I even made sure it was served at my wedding last week. It was a smash hit! Much love from New Zealand
This was delicious! I have never made a plant based meal, I have never had lentils, and I have never had Indian food. I was really taking a shot in the dark with this… and it was a win! I will definitely be adding it to my recipe book and am so excited to make this for others!! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! ◡̈
Very delicious and great for meal prep. Thank you.
Easy and tasty!
I add sweet potatoes to this along with carrots. Would be great if the timer function was on each step that had cook times indicated
I tweaked the recipe quite a bit based on the ingredients that I had (only had lentils, rice, and spices in my cupboard), but I really enjoyed following along, and particularly liked the touch of adding cardamom to the rice! Will add coconut next time.
Absolutely delicious. Total winner at our house.
I love that this app is making me try different recipes. I never make lentils with coconut milk. But this version is very creamy and adds that extra something to an every day dish. It was delicious.
Love love love!!! I used curry powder instead of the spices because I didn’t have all of them and it still turned out delicious.
My mouth is already watering! I’m definitely trying this!! Just a question: I have curry but I don’t have the single spices that it’s made of (and that are listed separately as further additions to the dish), do you suggest buying them anyway to enhance the flavor? Otherwise, which is the recommended dosage if I were to use only curry? Thanks!!
An Absolute go to !
I love it ! Thank you
Soo good! We severely overcooked the lentils so it became more of a daal-soup 😂 but still tasted amazing! ❤️
This dish lives up to its name. It is so comforting and delicious! The cardamom pods cooked in the rice was perfection. Adding this recipe to my favorites!
I love this recipe ! I added a can of peeled tomatoes to add vegetables to this dish and it’s even more flavourful
I love this recipe so much that I made it for my dad when he visited. He fell in love with it and now asks me to make it every time I visit. It's so flavorful and comforting and great for meal prep for the week.
Fantastic recipe! So simple, yet effective, I love how it turned out!
Such a tasty recipe!
Very good and doesn’t require too many ingredients
Made this today and it was delicious!!!
This is a recipe I make all the time :) I absolutely love the combination in the flavor of the spices, sweetness of the coconut milk and texture of the lentils. It is delicious!
Question, if I use brown rice instead and soak it for 11 hours, how long would the cook time be? Or if 11 hours is way too long and you recommend I stick with 2 hours and how long would the cook time be? Thanks in advance.
Super yummy. I loved the flavours in this, it was super tasty but not too spicy. My lentils almost disappeared, however, I guess it has to do with the variety or quality of the ones I bought. But delicious anyway. Will make again.
I love this red lentil daal! It's delicious, super easy to make, and works well for meal prepping. Sometimes I throw in extra vegetables, or a bit of hot sauce, and it always comes out tasty! ☺️
Ma'am i have a confusion.... In the above nutrition chart, does the fat from vegetable oil and coconut milk comes under the category of just the saturated fat or the overall (total) fat?
Also ma'am it would be very convenient if u could provide a weekly meal plan as a guideline so that i could form an idea about how to plan my meals in future
Super delicious! I topped it with some cashews and it's so flavorful and comforting
simple,fast,delicious.
We paired the daal with ugali and some steamed kale on the side.
This is one of my go to dishes during the cold winter time in Wisconsin! I love how good it makes me feel inside and out to eat this Daal.
Just made this for the first time. Absolutely delicious! Will definitely be adding this to my rotation. Thanks, PUL Team!
Amazing best food thank you
So delicious! Simple and flavorful. We added peas and spinach and paired it with cardamom brown rice instead...highly recommend! :)
Yummy. Even my Mum liked it, and she doesn’t like this type of food.
I also added silverbeet at the end, and lime juice.
This recipe has become a staple! I also like to add in some spinach at the end for a pop of colour and some extra nutrients :)
+ goes great with your naan recipe 🫓
This is a staple for me. Inexpensive to make, and absolutely delicious! ☺️
Love this recipe ❤️
Great one!!
Absolutely love this daal! I've made it with different vegetables, different combo of vegetables and it is always amazing.
I am trying to incorporate more plant based meals into my family's diet so I made this today and tossed in cubes of firm tofu to it and it was amazing. I love that this is freezer friendly so that I can whip up a bunch for a quick and easy comforting healthy meal.
This is now a staple dish in my family (who are not plant-based). Everyone loves it!
LOVE this dish! So easy, comforting and delish. I swapped out the coconut milk for a little homemade cashew cream as I'm trying to keep saturated fats to a minimum. Unfortunately, I just started the low-FODMAP diet, so lentils are off the menu, but I really hope to make/have this dish again in the future!
Hello: If not using any bouillon cube or broth (I don't have), will it work well just with water? Thank you.
Delicious! Make it quite often. Super good portion for leftovers :)
I just made this, and it's probably going to be my favourite daal recipe ever! It's delightfully warm and comforting and leaves a lot of room for modification (I added some leftover red bell pepper and zucchini, and it works fabulously). I'll definitely be making this again!
We've made this recipe so much that it's a weekly staple in our house now. So delicious and super easy to make. Rinsing the lentils must be the hardest part 🙈🤣 Thank you for a delicious meal 😊
Hi! I love this recipe, thank you ;) I was wondering if it is a mistake to leave the rice soaking overnight? Sometimes it would make it easier for me. Or would it be better not to soak it at all in this case?
It turns out bitter。
Very yummy and easy to make! Added spinach in the end to up the amount of veggies in it :)
UNBELIEVABLE. I only ever order vegan lentil dishes at indian places and always wonder how they make it. Now I know!! I love it so much thank you for this recipe.
Easy to make and really comforting! It was my first time making daal but definitly not the last.
It was absolutely delicious and easy to make!
So delucious! Absolutely love it. I'm not vegan, so I "unveganized" it (used cow milk instead of coconut) and it was still really tasty. I definitely recommend it!
♥️
Oh my gahhhh fhsjfnsjfhejdn!!! Okay so a few things… haha; I burnt the garlic and onion because I forgot it was on high heat. I didn’t have any vegetable bouillon cubes or stock so I just left it out. And then I had the wrong canned coconut milk. Mine said “curry” on it… therefore it was pre-seasoned. I was afraid this whole recipe would be botched. But NO!!! Holy holy holy… even with all of that. This is so dang GOOD!!!!!! I feel like a culinary boss right now. I can’t wait to get it right next time!
great curry
lovely meal and one of our starter meal to reduce our meat-eating.
We do not miss it at all.
This has been a go-to recipe for many months for my boyfriend and me. Love how it tastes and how it doesn't require much time or work!
I am so blown away at how easy and delicious this is! One of my friends posted this recipe on IG and I had to try it. Thank you for making vegan cooking easy, delicious and healthy! Wow!
This recipe taste so good that even my non-veggie husband forgot that it didn't had any meat & ask me to do it again !!! (and this doesn't happen very often) Thanks PUL team!!
Thank you so much for this incredible recipe!! I don't typically leave reviews, but this was too good. I have two particularly picky under-10s and to my pleasant surprise, they both loved it! I was able to use green/brown lentils and cooked them for slightly less time, I went a little light on paprika and heavy on cumin, and garnished with lime, chopped kale, cashew pieces, and a little extra drizzle of coconut milk (I personally love extra coconut-y flavors, but not everyone in our family does). Instead of using basmati, I reheated previously cooked jasmine rice with a little coconut milk to rehydrate it and that worked well. Definitely making again!
I can’t wait to try this! Is there any way to substitute coconut milk for something a little more slim lol 😬😄
An easy and delicious recipe for dal. Makes great leftovers. I enjoyed it with chili peppers for garnish. After making this recipe I started adding cardamom pods to basmati rice when I make other Indian-inspired recipes as well!
This is one of my favourite recipes. I cooked it many times. Its great benefit is that it freezes very well, perfect for meal prepping :)
This is definitely one of my favourite dhal recipes out there. I didn't have ginger on hand so I left it out, but I can only imagine how even more warming the dish is with it. It is truly comfort food. I generally don't like food smells in my home, but dhal is the exception. It just smells so nice and warm, like a delicious hug. Excellent for meal prep - my master thesis writing brain will appreciate it in the days to come.
This is one of my absolute favorite recipes! I love adding addition veggies (peas and/or spinach especially) and it is wonderful for meal prep. I do tend to be a little heavy handed with the spices. This recipe also goes great with naan.
I have made this countless times. So so good and easy to make!
This is one of many PUL recipes that is a weekly staple for me. I include whatever veggies I need to use up, and it's always amazing and so easy to pull together. I usually make the naan recipe to go with it and it feels like decadent restaurant food right out of my own kitchen. My husband and I enjoy so many of your recipes, we talk about PUL all the time! The new website is beautiful and I LOVE the scaling feature - I usually halve this recipe and it's perfect for two with just the right amount of leftovers. Thank you Sadia and your team, for this beautiful and welcoming food community you have created! xo
My favourite daal recipe EVER! I’ve taught it to my fiancé too & he makes it perfectly! This is definitely his favourite home-cooked meal that we make <3
I’ll be honest, I had never even had lentils before trying this recipe… now, it’s a go-to recipe in our house! Vibrant flavors, easy to make, reheats perfectly (great for meal prep), and I’ve thrown in any and all veggies I’ve had left over in my fridge and it’s ALL perfect with this!
I've made this recipe more times than I can count, and it's just as easy and delicious every time. It keeps me feeling full and makes for great leftovers.
A few changes I've made:
1) I'll usually double or triple the amount of carrots. I've also tried throwing in a number of different veggies as well--peas, sweet potatoes, spinach--and it's delicious every time.
2) I prefer standard brown lentils in this over the red. Both taste similar, but I find that brown/green lentils offer more of a texture variation from the rice (though the resulting green-brown stew certainly isn't as pretty).
3) I just use two cups vegetable broth instead of the water + bouillon cube. And when I'm in a pinch, subbing ground ginger for fresh and brown rice for basmati has worked just fine.
Long story short, it's hard to mess this one up. Highly recommend!
This one tastes like India in a bowl with that divine combination of aromas! It makes for an excelled make-ahead meal for about 3-4 days.
I have been making this dish for two years. Still my favourite! Thank you:)
I've never tried daal before, but this recipe was so delicious! It's so comforting, and I love how all the spices melded well with the coconut milk!
This is a recipe I keep coming back to make over and over. It uses ingredients I typically already have on hand and it so delicious! Comes together very quickly I definitely recommend!
Hi Sadia,
We are planning to make this yummy sounding and looking dish, but I have one question. Where do you get your boillon cubes?
The ones I know of have lots of additives.
Thank you so much.
Fauzia
Delicious recipe! The full-fat coconut milk makes this dish so creamy, I love it.
WOW I am blown away by your new website. This must be the best recipe website around.
I'm putting this recipe on my menu list for the week and cannot wait to try it.