Bloggers Melissa and Jasmine Hemsley serve these creamy, superflavorful lentils with vibrant toppings: spice-cooked onions, red chiles and chopped cilantro.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1 tsp fennel seed
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
- 2 small fresh red chiles, thinly sliced
- 1 quart chicken stock or broth
- 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cup red lentils, picked over (13 ounces)
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro stems, plus chopped leaves for garnish
- 1/2 lb kale, stemmed and leaves coarsely chopped (4 cups)
- 11/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
- salt
- pepper
Directions
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. Add the cumin, fennel and turmeric and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and half of the sliced chiles and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Spoon half of the spiced onion mixture into a small bowl and reserve.
- Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, red lentils and cilantro stems to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the kale and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the dal into bowls. Top with the reserved onion mixture and the remaining sliced chiles. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.
Make Ahead: The dal can be refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat gently, adding more water if necessary to help thin it out.
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Recipe Credit: Jasmine Hemsley and Melissa Hemsley
Image Credit: Nicholas Hopper
