Sri Lankan Red Lentils

I grew up on lentils – red, yellow, green, black… you name the color I grew up on it! Lentils are a staple in India and Sri Lanka with each region of having its own variation of how the legume is cooked. My mom cooked legumes several times a week. I have always enjoyed the dish, but I did not really start appreciating lentil-based meals until I was an adult.

I was well into my 30s when I learned to how to cook this simple yet heart-warming Sri Lankan red lentil dish. This lentil variation is creamy and rich in flavor and protein. This is an easy to prep dish, uses minimum ingredients, includes some tempered spices and it cooks in no time!

I have prepared this dish using the various brands of red lentils/masoor dhal available at the chain supermarkets and the specialty stores - regardless, it results in the same rich creamy dish. The only difference in brands, may be the amount of cleaning needed  - some brands have required clearing the lentils prior to rinsing and soaking.

Tempering this dish is by far my favorite part of this recipe, various recipes offer different suggestions on items to add in the tempering...  while not listed in the recipes, I occasionally add Kashmiri red chilli and coriander when tempering.

I personally like this lentil dish with white rice, but it can be enjoyed with some form of flat bread too.

RECIPE

Serving Size: 4 servings

Time: Prep: 30 min; Cook: 20 min

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of red lentils
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tbsp diced red onion
  • 1 tbsp diced tomato
  • 1 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 tsp of salt, plus additional to taste
  • 3/4 cup of canned full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 dried red chili
  • 3 tbsp diced shallots
  • 6 dried curry leaves

Directions

Lentil Curry

  • Wash the lentils and then soak for 30 minutes
  • Then drain the lentils and add in a pot along with the coriander, turmeric, red chili, diced onion, diced tomato, water
  • Turn the stove on to medium and bring to boil then simmer until water is nearly evaporated
  • Then add coconut milk and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes
  • While the coconut milk is simmering, start the tempering...

Tempering

  • Start the tempering process by heating 1 tbsp of olive oil on medium-high
  • Once the oil is heated, add the mustard seeds
  • When the mustard seeds start to pop add the red chili, shallots, curry leave and temper until the shallots become brown and fragrant but not burnt
  • Then combine the tempering with the curry by turning all the burners off and adding the tempered spices to the lentil curry
  • Let the tempered spices sit undisturbed for 10 minutes before gently mixing
  • Finally, add additional salt to taste

Serve

  • Serve with the lentils with white rice or flat bread and enjoy

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