This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
I have put on a bit of poundage lately and so went looking for a filling, low calorie, healthy recipe and came up with this Tastiest Red Lentil Dhal. I cannot believe that I have never ever made dhal before – oh my gosh it is soooooo delish.
Packed with protein (which is good for older women’s muscle mass as Marvellous-Mother-In-Law keeps telling me now that she has recently turned into an authoritative gym bunny) and, another bonus, mostly inexpensive storecupboard ingredients.
Freezes brilliantly too. What a winner. You just need one pot and half an hour…
4
servings30
minutesIngredients
2 large brown onions, peeled and finely sliced
1 – 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Half tspn ground ginger
2 Tspn turmeric
Half finely chopped red chilli
Tbsp garam masala
200g dried red lentils (no need to soak)
400ml coconut milk
500ml vegetable stock
Lashings of finely chopped parsley
Directions
- Heat some olive oil and a knob of butter in a large deep frying pan. Add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes until transluscent and slightly caramelised. Then add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala and chilli and cook for 2 mins.
- Add the lentils, coconut milk and stock, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and cook on a low/medium heat for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.
- Pile onto plates and garnish with lots of fresh parsley. A squeeze of lemon is also good.
Notes
- I made four portions (quantities as above) – about 250 cals each. Had one with a roasted duck breast sliced over the top, one with a poached egg, another with some leftover chicken and the last one I liquidised into a warming soup.
Why not have a peek at the other lentil recipes we have published over the last twelve years?