Creamy Lentil Tarka Dal

A vibrant and creamy Indian lentil dish, simmered with aromatic spices until perfectly soft, served over fluffy basmati rice for a wholesome meal.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 20 min
• Total: 30 min
• Servings: 7
• Cuisine: Indian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $1.86/serving

Dietary

• Vegetarian
• Vegan
• Gluten-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Soy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Fiber
• High-Protein
• Pescatarian

Tags

• one-pot
• quick
• healthy
• comfort food
• savory
• budget-friendly

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1.5 cup red lentils (rinsed)
• 4 cup vegetable broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
• 4 cup water
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Add the ground cumin and ground turmeric, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Stir in the diced tomatoes, rinsed red lentils, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until lentils are very tender.
4. While the dal simmers, combine the basmati rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
5. Stir the coconut milk and salt into the dal. If desired, use an immersion blender to partially blend the dal for an even creamier texture. Heat through for another 2 minutes.
6. Serve the creamy lentil tarka dal over fluffy basmati rice, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

Red lentils cook very quickly and become soft, ideal for minimal chewing. This dish is great for meal prepping as flavors deepen overnight.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 485
• Protein: 22.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 65.5 g
• Fat: 15.2 g
• Fiber: 15.6 g
• Sodium: 710 mg
• Saturated Fat: 11.2 g
• Sugar: 5.8 g