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Sri Lankan Red Lentil Curry. Creamy Dal curry Spiced with fenugreek seeds, cinnamon & black peppercorns. Coconut milk adds cooling creaminess. Easy Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Recipe. No garlic recipe. Jump to Recipe
Its getting cooler out here. I am loving warming soups and stews. Lentil soups/Dals are a staple in the house whether winter or summer. During summer, the lentil soups are made less spicy and served with kachumbar salad (chopped cucumber onion tomato cilantro tossed in salt, black pepper and lemon juice), raita (non dairy yogurt lightly spiced with cumin, salt, cayenne with onion, cucumber, tomato or shredded summer squash mixed in) and or other cooling sides. Cooler months call for warm spices, black pepper, quick cooking lentils.
This creamy spiced Dal curry is delicious and easy. It is spiced with whole cinnamon and fenugreek seeds. Fenugreek Seeds 
More lentil soups from the blog
- Dal Fry – Spiced Indian Lentil Soup Restaurant style Recipe
- Moroccan Lentil Soup
- Oil-free Spicy Garlic Dal
- Black eyed pea Lentil Soup
The current issue of Thrive Magazine showcases various vegan chefs including a 2 page spread on yours truly…Excerpt here!
Make this Sri lankan inspired Red Lentil Curry. Creamy, spicy, easy and so good! Inspired from some recipes from the web and Vegan Eats World
Sri Lankan Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup red lentils, masoor dal - these are split lentils (red/pink)
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/3 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/3 tsp cayenne or to taste , or 1-2 dried red chilies. California red for mild, cayenne or bird eye red chilies for hot
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 6 to 8 curry leaves, fresh or frozen or dried
- 1/2 small red onion, chopped
- 2 inch cinamon stick
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup or more coconut milk , or other non dairy milk
- 1 tomato, finely chopped
- 1/2 to 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp shredded coconut
Instructions
- Wash and soak the red lentils.
- Grind the fenugreek, black pepper, cayenne/red chilies, turmeric into a powder and keep aside.
- In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and let them start to pop. Add curry leaves carefully and mix in. Add the fenugreek seed powder, stir and cook for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Add onions, cinnamon stick and a pinch of salt. Mix to coat with spices. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Drain and add the lentils to the saucepan. Add water, salt and coconut milk. Mix in. Partially cover and cook for 12 to 14 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, lemon juice, taste and adjust salt and spice. Lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Stir once in between.
- Garnish with shredded coconut and pepper flakes (optional). Serve as a soup with crackers or as dal with rice or flatbread.
Notes
Variations: Add more coconut milk instead of water for creamier soup.
Add in chopped veggies. Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker: Follow steps 1 to 4 (IP on saute, deglaze the onion with a tbsp of water or broth at step 4 if needed as the IP gets hot). Add the lentils, milk, water,salt, half of the tomato and lemon juice, mix. Close the lid, pressure cook for 3 mins. Then quick release after 5 mins. Fold in the rest of the tomato and lemon. Taste and adjust. Add some shredded coconut and serve. Nutritional values based on one serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious
I made this tonight and it’s hands down the best red lentil curry I’ve ever made. It tasted so yummy with the addition of pumpkin, carrots and cauliflower too. This one will definitely be on repeat. Thanks!
awesome!
This was AMAZING! My family was wowed — our favorite dal I’ve ever made. If you were picking your favorite dal (aside from this one) which one would you recommend I try next? I have your latest cookbook as well, but not your first cookbook yet. Thank you for the time and effort you put into sharing recipes — it it pretty awesome to create something that tastes restaurant-worthy. 🙂
Awesome!! I love the sabut masoor. https://fettabbau-trim.today/2015/10/sabut-masoor-ki-daal-lentil-soup.html%3C/a%3E this is a variation of mymom’s recipe. The lentils are generally overcooked as thats how i like them but you can cook them to your texture preference.
Dal fry is a weekend fave https://fettabbau-trim.today/2015/07/dal-fry-spiced-indian-lentil-soup.html%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> and mom’s moong dal tadka is super simple and super delicious https://fettabbau-trim.today/2013/07/split-mung-bean-stew-yellow-mung-dal.html%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Thank you – I’m adding them to my menu plan now!
I just made this recipe tonight for the second time, and it’s definitely one of my new favorites! The spices are unusual, interesting, and balanced just right, as with all the dal recipes I’ve made from Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen! (I’ve been ordering fresh curry leaves online, I have dried red chiles from the farmer’s market, and found fenugreek seeds at a local co-op, PCC.) Last time I doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers, which I ate with some chopped steamed broccoli stirred in; it was so comforting and delicious. Wonderful recipe, please keep them coming!
Thats awesome!
Awesome recipe….whole family loved it. Thanks
Wow ! I just made this, and what a flavorful dish! I used brown mustard seeds as that is what I have. Would this affect the taste much from your version? I am not sure of the difference between seeds.
Thank you so much, I can’t believe how easy it was and that I was able to make something that tastes that amazing!
I made this last night and it was delicious. I added a few cubes of frozen spinach and some mushrooms about 10 minutes before the end, and served with homemade naans. The flavours in this dish are different to my usual curries and I can’t wait to make it again – in a big batch!
Great Additions! Yes the sri lankan spice mix in this is flavorful and wonderful
Great recipe!!!! I love this Red Lentil Curry with warm basmati rice! Thanks for sharing 🙂