Spinach and coconut dahl recipe
Spinach and lentils are a very typical combination but this recipe is special. It flavours the spinach with lovely spices and coconut, making the taste unique. You can eat a bowl of this on its own, or serve it with rice. If you can't find the variety of lentils in a supermarket, they're widely available online.
Store in an airtight box in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat well before serving.
Ingredients
For the lentils- 250 g toor dal
- 1.2 l water
- 1.2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 4 dried red chillies
- 50 g fresh coconut, roughly chopped
- 200 g fresh spinach
- 100 ml boiling water
- 1 tsp ghee
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1 pinch asafoetida
Details
- Cuisine: Indian
- Recipe Type: Dahl
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 65 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Start by combining the lentils, water, salt and turmeric in a pan and bringing them to the boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 40–45 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
- To cook the spinach, heat the ghee in another pan and add the urad dal. Cook for 2 minutes on a low heat until slightly golden, then add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black pepper, dried red chillies and coconut. Let it all sizzle for a minute.
- Add the spinach and boiling water. Cover and cook on a low heat for 2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blitz to a purée.
- Tip the purée into the pan of cooked lentils and return to the boil.
- For the tadka, heat the ghee in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds, dried red chillies and asafoetida and let them sizzle for a minute. Stir this mixture into the lentils and serve.
This recipe is from Chetna’s Healthy Indian Vegetarian by Chetna Makan. Published by Mitchell Beazley, £20.00, www.octopusbooks.co.uk. Photography by Nassima Rothacker.
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