Creamy Coconut Red Lentil Dal with Spinach
Red lentils simmered until soft in a silky coconut milk sauce with ginger and tomato, then finished with wilted spinach. A comforting one-pot bowl that is rich, creamy and not spicy.
- Total
- 30 min
- Prep 7 · Cook 23
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Simmering · Blooming spices
- Savory
- Standard
- Indian
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Rinse the 70 g red lentils under cold water until it runs clear and drain well. Finely chop the 1 tomato and grate the 10 g ginger.
~5 min
Rinsing removes surface starch so the dal stays creamy rather than gluey, and draining prevents excess water diluting the sauce.
-
Warm the 1 tbsp oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add the grated ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and just starting to colour, without letting it brown.
~1 min
Blooming ginger in oil draws out its aromatic oils, while gentle heat prevents bitter burnt notes from scorching.
Blooming spices Cook aromatics in warm oil just until fragrant and glossy, not browned. If they darken, the oil is too hot and will taste bitter.
-
Add the chopped tomato and 0.25 tsp black pepper to the pot and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until the tomato collapses into a soft paste. Pour in the 150 ml coconut milk and 250 ml water, then stir in the 0.5 tsp salt.
~3 min
Cooking tomato with pepper builds a soft flavour base; simmering coconut milk with water keeps the sauce silky and prevents splitting.
-
Stir in the drained red lentils and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender and the sauce is thick enough to hold a trail behind the spoon. If it tightens too much, stir in 2 tbsp hot water.
~18 min
Uncovered simmering lets the lentils break down and the sauce reduce, so it thickens enough to hold a trail behind the spoon.
Red lentils break down fast, so stop cooking as soon as they are tender but still hold a little shape; overcooking turns the dal pasty.
If the coconut milk separates while simmering, whisk in a spoonful of hot water and keep the heat low to bring the sauce back together.
Simmering Keep the heat low so bubbles barely break the surface; stir now and then to stop sticking. Stop as soon as lentils are tender but still hold shape.
-
Stir the 60 g spinach into the pot in handfuls and cook for 2 minutes, until fully wilted and glossy. Taste and adjust the salt.
~2 min
Adding spinach in handfuls and cooking briefly wilts it evenly without turning it dark or slimy.
-
While step 4 cooks
While the lentils simmer, warm the 1 piece naan in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2 minutes per side, until soft and lightly blistered.
~4 min
-
Spoon the dal into a bowl and serve with the warm naan for scooping.
~1 min