Cumin-Spiced Red Lentil Dal

A vibrant and nutritious red lentil dal, infused with toasted cumin and other aromatic spices, served with fluffy brown rice and wilted spinach.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 25 min
• Total: 40 min
• Servings: 1
• Cuisine: Indian
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $6.29/serving

Dietary

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

Tags

• comfort food
• healthy
• savory
• spicy

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup red lentils (rinsed)
• 2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 0.5 yellow onion (finely diced)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (minced)
• 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
• 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 0.5 teaspoon curry powder
• 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 Roma tomato (diced)
• 0.25 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.5 cup brown rice (uncooked)
• 3 ounce fresh spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Rinse 1/2 cup brown rice thoroughly. Cook brown rice according to package directions. Typically, combine 1/2 cup brown rice with 1 cup water or vegetable broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.
2. While rice cooks, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 each yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
5. Stir in 3/4 cup rinsed red lentils, 2 cups vegetable broth, and 1 diced Roma tomato. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
6. Stir in 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
7. Just before serving, add 3 ounces fresh spinach to the hot dal and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
8. Serve the Cumin-Spiced Red Lentil Dal hot over the cooked brown rice. Garnish with 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, if desired.

Notes

If the dal gets too thick, add a splash of water or vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency. You can adjust the red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 780
• Protein: 37.1 g
• Carbohydrates: 105.5 g
• Fat: 25.1 g
• Fiber: 28.3 g
• Sodium: 1850 mg
• Saturated Fat: 11.2 g
• Sugar: 8.7 g