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← All recipes Bowl of creamy red lentil dahl served over brown rice Dinner · Comfort

Red Lentil Dahl with Brown Rice

≈24g protein 35 min Serves 2 Lysine + methionine

A weeknight dahl that doubles as a textbook complete-protein pairing. Red lentils are loaded with lysine but limited in sulfur-containing methionine; brown rice is the exact opposite. Eaten together, they cover each other's gaps — the foundational logic of South Asian dal-chawal, made explicit.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup split red lentils (masoor dal), rinsed
  • ½ cup brown rice
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup light coconut milk
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • Sea salt
  • Handful fresh coriander, to finish

Method

  1. Start the brown rice first — combine with a generous pinch of salt and water per package, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 25 minutes until tender. Fluff and set aside.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent and just starting to caramelise at the edges.
  3. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant — don't let the garlic brown.
  4. Stir in the cumin, turmeric and garam masala. Toast for 30 seconds, dragging the spices through the oil until the kitchen smells warm and savory.
  5. Tip in the rinsed lentils, chopped tomatoes (with their juice), stock and a heavy pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils have broken down into a silky mush.
  6. Stir in the coconut milk and simmer 3 more minutes. Taste and add more salt — lentils need more than you think. The finished texture should fall off a spoon in soft folds.
  7. Ladle the dahl over the brown rice. Finish with torn coriander and a crack of black pepper.
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