Beetroot, Carrot and Coconut Dal

Name: Rukmini Iyer Beetroot, Carrot and Coconut Dal Recipe | Easy Dal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: Serves 4–6 generously
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 large onion, thinly sliced; 3 large raw beetroot, peeled; 2 large carrots, peeled; 2 inches ginger, finely grated; 150g red lentils, rinsed; 500ml vegetable stock, plus extra as needed; 1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk; 2 limes, juice only; 2 tbsp olive or neutral oil; 2 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp sea salt flakes; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp mild chilli powder; ½ tsp ground turmeric

by Rukmini Iyer from India Express: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Day

Beetroots add a deep vibrant colour to this simple coconut lentil dal. Perfect for making in bulk for quick meals later.

Vegetarian Vegan Dairy-Free Gluten-Free One-pot Freezer Friendly

Serves 4–6 generously

Total 1 hr 5 min

Prep 15 min

Cook 50 min

Easy

Discover more delicious Beetroot recipes

From earthy soups to vibrant salads

Introduction from Rukmini Iyer

This is a brilliant ‘hidden veg’ dal – as an adult, I shouldn’t have to hide vegetables from myself, but I get a kick out of adding extra veg to recipes to help get up to five a day (or ten a day, if that’s your thing). It’s also helpful if you’re cooking for children. As with all Indian dishes, I like to use the time it takes for the onions to cook to cut up the other vegetables, just turning round occasionally to stir the pan, as it cuts down drastically on prep time. Coconut milk and lime juice add a richness to this easy, everyday dish.

Ingredients

1 large onion, thinly sliced

3 large raw beetroot, peeled

2 large carrots, peeled

2 inches ginger, finely grated

150g red lentils, rinsed

500ml vegetable stock, plus extra as needed

1 x 400ml tin of coconut milk

2 limes, juice only

Storecupboard:

2 tbsp olive or neutral oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp mild chilli powder

½ tsp ground turmeric

Essential kit

You will need: a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat; once hot, add the cumin seeds and fry for 15–30 seconds until aromatic. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes over a medium to low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and starting to crisp at the edges.

Meanwhile, grate 1 beetroot and 1 carrot, then slice the remaining veg into 5mm half-moons. Once the onion has had 10 minutes, add the grated vegetables and ginger along with the salt and ground spices. Stir-fry for 3–5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.

Add the lentils, stock and vegetable half-moons to the pan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through before re-covering.

After 30 minutes, add the coconut milk and bring the dal back to the boil, then add the lime juice and a little more stock if you prefer a thinner dal, and taste for salt, adding more as needed. (I think it can take quite a lot of salt.) Serve hot, with flatbreads or buttery white rice.

LEFTOVERS: This keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days, and also freezes well. You may want to add more stock when reheating, as it thickens a lot on cooling.

Preview