Red lentil dhal with spinach
45 min · 21 g protein · 270 cals / serving
A big, golden pot of red lentils cooked down with ginger, turmeric and tomato until creamy, with spinach stirred through and a sizzling garlic, cumin and chili tarka poured over at the end. A cool spoon of yogurt and plenty of coriander finish each bowl.
Ingredients
Dhal
- 200 g red lentils, red split, rinsed until the water runs clear
- 900 ml water
- 1 tsp turmeric
- thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 250 g baby spinach
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Tarka
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp ground cumin, or whole cumin seeds, which are even better
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 jalapeño, sliced
- a pinch red pepper flakes
To serve
- 200 g nonfat Greek yogurt
- a small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Put the lentils, water, turmeric, ginger and tomatoes in a large pan and bring to the boil, skimming off any foam. Simmer, partly covered, for 20–25 minutes, stirring often towards the end, until the lentils have collapsed into a thick, creamy porridge.
- Stir in the salt and the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Add the lemon juice, then taste: it should be bright and well seasoned. Loosen with a splash of hot water if it has become too thick.
- Make the tarka: heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion for 6–8 minutes until deep golden. Add the garlic and green chili (and the cumin now if you are using whole seeds) and fry for about 1 minute, until the garlic is golden and any seeds crackle. Stir in the ground cumin, if using, with the garam masala and chili flakes, let them sizzle for 10 seconds, then pour everything straight over the dhal.
- Serve in bowls with a spoonful of yogurt and plenty of coriander.
Good to know
Why add the spices twice?
Turmeric and ginger simmer into the lentils for depth; the tarka at the end is fresh, toasty garlic and cumin that sits on top. That last sizzle is what makes a dhal taste of a restaurant rather than a soup.
How thick should it be?
Like a loose porridge that just holds its shape on a spoon. Red lentils keep thickening as they stand, so add a splash of hot water when you reheat leftovers.
What else goes in?
Diced courgette, frozen peas or a handful of chopped kale can all go in with the spinach. Serve with rice or a warm chapati if you want a bigger meal.
Can I make it vegan?
The dhal itself is vegan; serve it with a thick plain soy yogurt instead of the Greek yogurt, at about the same score.
Alternatives
Per
- Calories
- 63
- Protein
- (29%)
- 5 g
- Fat
- (13%)
- 1 g
- Carbohydrates
- (58%)
- 11 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 136 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1079 kcal goes into the pot and 1992 g of ingredients comes out as about 1700 g of food: 63 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.