Comforting Coconut Dhal

This is one of my favourites recipes for being so quick, easy and delicious. It’s GLUTEN FREE, SUGAR FREE, low GI and VEGAN. Although I don’t follow a strict FODMAP diet, because I’ve found that it difficult to go without beans and pulses, I have found it helpful to avoid the white flesh of onions, garlic and leeks.

Ingredients: (Serves about 4 small portions)

  • small piece of ginger
  • half a red pepper
  • stick of celery
  • the green tops of 2 leeks or onions
  •  a little olive oil or coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes (use more or less to your taste!)
  • a pinch or two of salt
  • 1 small courgette
  • 1 medium potato (peeled or scrubbed)
  • 1 large carrot (peeled or scrubbed)
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 150 gm dried mung dhal (or yellow split peas)
  • 50 gm creamed coconut
  • optional extras: 3 cardamon pods, 4 or 5 cloves, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vegetable bouillon.

comforting coconut dhal  recipe pictureboard

  1. Cover the dhal in boiling water and leave to soak while you prepare the vegetables
  2.  Chop the ginger, celery, pepper and onion/leek tops and saute over a medium heat in a large pan or pressure cooker, add the chilli flakes.
  3. Chop the courgette, carrot and potato into 1/2 in cubes and add to the pan along with the rest of the spice and a little salt to taste.
  4. Saute for a couple of minutes.
  5. Drain the dhal and add to the pan, cover with cold water and add the creamed coconut and any of the optional extras. (I usually use them all but had a bit of brain fog when I made it this time and forgot them. I was happy to discover it tasted just as good without them, just a little different!) Cook at high pressure in the pressure cooker for 12 minutes or boil until the dhal is soft in an ordinary pan (will usually take about twice as long).

For a main meal I serve this with wholegrain rice, or for a lighter meal I’ll serve a smaller portion in a bowl with urid dhal poppadoms on the side.

 

 

1 thought on “Comforting Coconut Dhal”

Leave a comment