A quick search led me to realise that the vast majority of red lentil dahl recipes out there call for coconut milk. And unless you’re after a northern-style tadka dahl, this isn’t a great option for those who don’t like (or don’t have) coconut milk.
While you could just add a touch of cream like I do in my chicken curry recipe to get that trademark creamy texture of a southern Indian dahl, this isn’t a great option of you want to keep things plant based – or just lighter.
That’s why I developed this recipe. There’s no coconut milk – instead, I’ve made a creative swap that retains the creaminess of the dahl while still keeping the dish completely vegan!
How to Make Red Lentil Curry Without Coconut Milk
This dahl starts very similarly to my other curry recipes – by toasting some whole spices. For this, I like using a combination of black mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Add them to a dry skillet and set it over medium heat. Once they’re very fragrant and are beginning to dance around the pan (after a minute or two), add some oil and a diced onion.
Season with a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring every so often, until the onion is softened and beginning to brown around the edges – about 8-10 minutes.
Once you’ve reached that stage, add in some minced green chili, garlic and ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding some tomato paste, garam masala, ground cumin, coriander seed and turmeric.
Cook this just until fragrant before adding in some diced fresh tomatoes along with another generous pinch of salt.
Stirring every so often, cook these until they’ve mostly broken down and they’ve reached a jammy consistency – this will take about 5 minutes.
Now’s the time to add your lentils. Stir them in along with some veggie stock, a splash of soy sauce and a bit of brown sugar.
Bring everything up to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow the dahl to simmer for about 30 minutes – just until the dahl is thick and the lentils are tender.
Meanwhile, you can make your cashew cream. This is the same technique I use in my creamed spinach recipe and it’s a great substitute to coconut milk or dairy cream.
All you need to do this is soak some raw, unsalted cashews in boiling water for about an hour (or in cold water overnight if you have some foresight).
Drain the cashews and add them to a blender with a splash of fresh water. Blend on high for a minute or two until nice and smooth. And that’s it!
Once your lentils are cooked through, go ahead and stir in the cashew cream and a splash of lemon juice. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding salt or pepper if needed.
Then, go ahead and serve! I like it alongside some basmati rice.
Red Lentil Dahl Without Coconut Milk
Ingredients
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 5 g (2 tsp) fresh ginger grated
- 1-2 green chilies such as serrano or jalapeño, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander seed
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
- 150 g (1 cup) dried red lentils
- 750 ml (3 cups) vegetable stock (see note)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 50 g (⅓ cup) raw, unsalted cashews soaked in boiling water for at least 1 hour or in cool water overnight
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Add the cumin seeds and black mustard seeds to a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Once the seeds smell fragrant and begin to dance across the pan, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil, the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened and are beginning to brown around the edges, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger and chilies. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until fragrant. Then, add in the tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes along with another generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every so often, until the tomatoes begin to break down and release a lot of their moisture, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the lentils. Pour over the vegetable stock, add the soy sauce and the brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring every so often, until the lentils are tender and the liquid has been mostly absorbed, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, drain the cashews and add them to the jar of a blender along with 60ml (¼ cup) cold water. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until very smooth. Transfer the cashew cream to a small bowl and set aside.
- When the lentils are cooked through, stir in the cashew cream. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Serve alongside some basmati rice or naan.
Notes
- I always use unsalted vegetable stock when developing recipes in order to have complete control over the seasoning of the dish. I highly recommend doing the same.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This dahl is so simple to make but absolutely packed with flavour. Completely plant-based, it doesn’t need coconut milk or dairy-based cream to get a rich and silky texture.
Are you after a great red lentil curry? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
