Sri Lankan Masoor Dhal Curry

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!

Classic red lentil dhal curry recipe that’s ready in 30-minutes! It makes a quick, healthy and delicious weeknight meal!

Have you ever made a Sri Lankan dish? Making this dhal was my first time making anything Sri-Lankan and I’m in love!

Dhal refers to any soup or stew that’s made with legumes (lentils, peas, beans) in South Asian countries. I’ve had dhal many times at restaurants and this time I’ve decided to make it at home! What looks like a complicated and sophisticated dish only takes about 30 minutes to make!

Spices

Key in any dhal is the spices you use! The main spices in this recipe are cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and curry powder. Cumin seeds are the foundation of a Sri Lankan Masoor Dhal. We start making our recipe by toasting cumin seeds in oil first. Toasting cumin seeds makes them pop which releases their flavor.

The kick

For the spicy kick, I’ve added a green chili. There’re two types of green chilis: mild and spicy. Choose the version that suits your palate. I went with a mild green chili.

If after making this recipe, you feel like you’d like a more spicy kick, then stir in 1/4 tsp of chili powder at a time to the finished dish until you reach the spice level you desire.

Legumes

The traditional Sri Lankan Masoor Dhal is made with red lentils. Red lentils cook fast, in about 15-20 minutes. This is what makes this dish such an amazing quick dinner idea! It tastes as if it took you 4 hours to make but in fact, it only took you 30 minutes!

Red lentils have a sweet, nutty flavor. They’re high in protein, 100 g of cooked red lentils have 9 g of protein! They’re also high in folate, iron, manganese, and vitamin B6.

Some of the ways to serve this dish are with basmati brown rice, a roti, naan, or freshly baked sourdough bread.

Print

Sri Lankan Masoor Dhal Curry

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

 

Classic red lentil dhal curry recipe ready in 30-minutes! It makes a quick, healthy and delicious weeknight meal!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: coconut, curry, lentils

Servings: 8

Calories: 400 kcal

Author: Simple Fit Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds or 1 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tsp curry powder
• Optional: 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 green chili, diced
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Make sure the oil is hot. Add cumin and mustard seeds and toast the seeds for 30 seconds. If you’re using mustard powder, toast only the cumin seeds.
2. Add curry powder and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring continuously.
3. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent. Add green chili and cook for 1 minute. Lastly, add chopped tomatoes and cook for another minute.
4. Stir in coconut milk and add red lentils. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes until lentils are fully cooked.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Information (per serving): Calories: 400 Fat: 22 g Saturated fat: 16.6 g Carbohydrates: 37 g Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g Sugar: 6.1 g Sodium: 135 mg Protein: 15.6 g

My brand new cookbook is out on Amazon! It’s called “30-Minute Plant-Based Recipes” and it’s perfect for busy vegans. Grab it now!