Sri Lankan Dal

Name: Sri Lankan Dal
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Ingredients: Salt, to taste; 2 tsp red chili powder or Kashmiri chili powder; 260 g/9 oz/1½ cups split red lentils (lal masoor dal); 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 3 tbsp coconut oil; 2 whole dried red chilies; Rice, to serve; 8-10 curry leaves; 2 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander; 1 small red onion, sliced; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 4-5 garlic cloves, minced; 1 small cinnamon stick; 1-2 tbsp rampe leaf (pandanus leaf), chopped; 250 ml/9 fl oz/1 cup coconut milk

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Spice Collector’s Cookbook

By Vina Patel

Published 2024

About

During our trip to Sri Lanka, my husband and I were excited to explore the country and its food. When we had an authentic Sri Lankan breakfast for the first time, it blew my mind;I loved everything they served, but the Sri Lankan dal was my favourite. I learned how to make it on the spot.

Ingredients

260 g/9 oz/1½ cups split red lentils (lal masoor dal)
½

Asia
Sri Lanka
Main course
Gluten-free
Breakfast
Vegan

Method

Rinse the dal three times. Heat 1.5 litres/52fl oz/6½ cups of water in a deep saucepan over a high heat, add the rinsed dal and turmeric, and season with salt. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to medium and cook the dal for 25–30 minutes, or until the dal is very soft. Remove the pan from the heat and mash the dal with the back of a spoon until you have a creamy consistency. Add the c