Flavorful Sri Lankan Dhal Curry Recipe – By Malsha – eLanka
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Red lentils
- 2.5 cups Water
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 Red onion, sliced
- 1 clove Garlic, chopped
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1/2 cup Coconut milk
- 1 tsp Chilli flakes (optional)
- 1/2 Pandan leaves, cut into three
Tempering:
- 1 tbsp Oil (coconut, canola, vegetable, or olive oil)
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Chilli flakes (optional, for spice)
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1/2 Red onion, sliced
- 1 clove Garlic, sliced
Instructions:
Cooking Dhal Curry:
- Wash red lentils thoroughly under cold water until clean.
- In a medium-sized pot or clay pot, combine lentils, sliced onion, pandan leaves, sliced garlic, turmeric, salt, and water. Mix well.
- Place the pot over medium heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes until lentils are soft and cooked.
- Add coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Tempering:
- While lentils are cooking, heat oil in a separate pan. Add sliced onion and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chilli flakes (if using). Cook for another 3 minutes until fragrant and well combined. Remove from heat.
Final Assembly:
- Mix the tempered mixture directly into the cooked lentils.
- Reserve some tempered mix to add on top as garnish, if desired.
- Optionally, add about 2 tbsp of oil to the reserved tempered mix to create a chili oil garnish.
- Serve the dhal curry hot with basmati rice.
Enjoy the flavorful and balanced Sri Lankan Dhal Curry with your choice of accompaniments!
