A Vegan Tarka Dhal Recipe

If I had to pick my final meal on Earth it would without a doubt be Dhal and Rice. Except if it was my last meal I’d be pretty peeved that I couldn’t have the leftovers on toast the next day. FYI best brunch ever. Make sure to add lots of butter to the toast.

This is a recipe my parents cooked pre me and having been making ever seen. It’s a staple in our family. Plus its cheap as chips so is the first recipe me Mum wrote down for me when I packed my bags off to uni.

Since then where ever I went in the world, in every hostel and every house share I would cook up a Dhal, never did I disappoint (even if I do say so myself) and every time I would pass on the recipe. It does therefore only feel right that I share it on here.

Ingredients for a Vegan Tarka Dhal.

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recipe will feed around 5 people. I make this much to feed us and freeze a couple of portions.

3 cups of red lentils.

1 heaped teaspoon of Cumin Powder.

2 heaped teaspoons of Turmeric Powder.

2 teaspoons of black mustard seeds.

2 dried chilies.

2 white onions

3 cloves of garlic.

Half a block on creamed coconut.

Method.

Add your lentils, one chopped onion, cumin, turmeric and whole dried chilies to a pan. Cover with boiling water and leave to simmer for an hour or so. Add more water as the lentils swell. Remember you can always add more water but you can’t take it away. I add less and keep adding as I don’t like our Dhal too runny but that’s personal preference. Make it as thick or runny as you like. (Also note that adding dried whole chilies like this won’t make the Dhal hot but just add flavour, you can add chilli later if you like it hot.

When the lentils have cooked so it looks like a sauce this is the Dhal. The next element is the Tarka which literally means browned onions and garlic.

To make the Tarka heat oil in a pan. Add 2 teaspoons on black mustard seeds to the oil. Wait until a few start to pop, add one chopped onion to stop the popping. When the onions are starting to brown add chopped garlic. At this point you could add a chopped chili or chili flakes if you want some heat in it.

Let the onions and garlic brown as much as possible without burning, then add to the Dhal mix.

Add half a block of creamed coconut, (this comes in a solid block and is hard to chop in half but a bread knife and some brut force does the job.) When my Mum first wrote this recipe out for me she said, and I quote “add a little creamed coconut if your feeling luxurious,” this has escalated over the years to half a block. Ask me next year I’m probably throwing the whole thing in.

Stir creamed coconut in until it’s melted into the sauce. Add salt to taste and your done. I like to add chopped fresh coriander on top but that’s also personal preference.

What to serve your Tarka Dhal with.

We like to serve our Dhal with spinach rice.

I add a few spices to the rice while it’s cooking, whatever you have in the cupboard, usually a pinch on cumin, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, or a curry powder mix. I fry a small onion, a bag of spinach, or was much as I can collect from the allotment and add the cooked rice.

Onion bhajis, fried aubergine, naan breads, or chicken tikka are also favorites of ours to have with Tarka Dhal. Enjoy….

Hannah xxx