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Quick Black Dhal

Quick Black Dhal

By OcadoLifePublished on 18 April 2022Nutritious, tasty and quick, this super quick dahl goes very well with just chapatis or rice and some pickles, or as part of a larger spread. Here we use black or beluga lentils, which are named after the famous beluga caviar because they are small and black, like the sturgeon roe (on the subcontinent they are known as urad dahl). The key to making this dish quickly is to use precooked lentils and curry paste. This is a vegan reworking of the famous dahl makhani (or butter dahl), the lentil cousin of murgh makhani (butter chicken). We use coconut milk instead of cream and ghee, which makes the dahl lovely and creamy, while remaining strictly vegan. Looking for more Indian recipes? Look no further.
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Time and servings

15 minsTotal time
4Servings
15 minsCooking time

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely grated
  • 2 cm of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 80 g of spinach
  • 1 lemon, juice half and cut the rest into wedges
  • 1 handful of coriander, leaves
  • 2 tbsp of curry paste, we used Patak’s Butter Chicken Spice Paste as it is a traditional Makhani blend
  • 500 g of beluga lentils pouch
  • 400 ml of coconut milk
  • 0.5 tsp of nigella seeds, (optional)

Method

  • Step 1

    Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and gently cook the onion until it begins to brown, then stir in garlic, ginger and curry paste. Cook for another min until aromatic.

  • Step 2

    Add the lentils and coconut milk and bring to the boil.

  • Step 3

    Cook for a min or two, then stir in the spinach and cook to wilt.

  • Step 4

    Pour in the lemon juice and season to taste. To serve, top the dish with the coriander leaves and some nigella seeds. Add the lemon wedges to squeeze over as liked.

  • Step 5

    Serve with naan or rice, or as a side dish for a curry feast if you like.