Coconut Red Lentil Dal with Spinach

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 3 oz baby spinach
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 whole lime, juiced
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Rinse the red lentils in a sieve under cold water until the water running through goes from cloudy to nearly clear, about 20 seconds. That rinse is what keeps the finished dal from tasting chalky.
2. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the diced onion and a pinch of the salt, and cook 3 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pieces turn translucent at the edges and smell sweet rather than sharp.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, and cumin and stir for 45 seconds, until the pan smells strongly of toasted spice and the turmeric has stained the onions deep gold. Keep it moving so the ginger does not catch.
4. Add the lentils, the coconut milk, 1 cup of water, and the rest of the salt. Bring to a gentle simmer — small bubbles breaking at the edge, not a rolling boil — and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so nothing sticks.
5. The dal is ready when the lentils have lost their distinct shape and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a track that fills in slowly. If it thickens past that, loosen it with a splash of water.
6. Stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time and cook 1 minute more, just until it wilts to dark green ribbons. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lime juice, and taste for salt.
7. Divide between two bowls and scatter the chopped cilantro over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories

723

Protein

27 g

Fat

38 g

Carbs

64 g