Masoor Dal Red Lentil Curry
Looking for a comforting dish that's as flavorful as it is nourishing? This Masoor Dal Red Lentil Curry blends warm spices, coconut milk, and tender veggies for a hearty meal that's perfect for cozy nights.
Servings 6
Calories 437kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice + 1c water
- 1 onion
- 2 long green kanthari chili peppers
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tomatoes medium
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon cardamom ground
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ salt
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 cup red lentils + 1 cup water
- 400 ml coconut milk 1 can
- 1 carrot sliced
- 1 small sweet potato diced
- few sprigs cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the basmati rice 2–3 times. Add to a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once it bubbles, stir, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let it rest until ready to serve.
- Finely chop the onion, chili peppers (or substitute with bird’s eye, Thai chili, or serrano), and garlic. Dice the tomatoes. (If using serrano, 1 serrano pepper replaces 2 kanthari chilies.)
- Rinse and drain the red lentils, then set aside.
- Heat a sauté pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions, sautéing for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and chili peppers, cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the toasted spices, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and sweet paprika. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Add the red lentils, coconut milk, and 1 cup of water (or fill the empty coconut milk can with water). Stir well and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, stir, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes. Check halfway through and stir gently if needed.
- Plate the rice and curry, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, and enjoy!
Notes
Cooking Tips:
Kanthari Chili Substitute: If you can’t find kanthari chili peppers, bird’s eye chili (Thai chili) works as a great alternative since both come from the same species and share a similar heat profile. I actually used serrano peppers in this recipe because it’s what I had on hand, and it worked just fine!
Tomato Tip: Feel free to use whatever tomatoes you have available. I did the same, and it doesn’t affect the overall flavor.
Spice Flavor Boost: For deeper, more traditional flavors, lightly toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and cardamom pods for about 3 minutes. Then crush them coarsely with a mortar and pestle for a more intense spice profile.
Equipment:
Large Saute Pan
