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Parsnip, carrot and red lentil dal

Name: Parsnip, carrot and red lentil dal
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or ghee, if you’re not catering for vegans); 1 large onion, finely sliced; 3 parsnips, scrubbed; 4 carrots, scrubbed; 30g fresh ginger, grated; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 200g red lentils, rinsed; 400ml coconut milk; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp garam masala; 300g basmati rice; 1 tbsp mustard seeds; 12 curry leaves (ideally fresh)

By: Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

Published: 29 Sep 23
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Sweet root vegetables give a twist on coconut dal in this simple vegan supper. Parsnips and carrots are cooked with lentils and coconut milk and flavoured with ginger, garlic, turmeric and garam masala. Adding thin slivers of parsnips and carrot to the tarka provides a crisp topping to the bowl, served with fluffy white rice.

Check out our coconut dhal with chapatis, too.

Easy
October 2023

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 15 min. Simmering time 20 min

Check out our coconut dhal with chapatis, too.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 805kcals
Fat: 27g (18g saturated)
Protein: 23g
Carbohydrates: 111g (18g sugars)
Fibre: 13g
Salt: 0.2g

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Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or ghee, if you’re not catering for vegans)
1 large onion, finely sliced
3 parsnips, scrubbed
4 carrots, scrubbed
30g fresh ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
200g red lentils, rinsed
400ml coconut milk
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
300g basmati rice
1 tbsp mustard seeds
12 curry leaves (ideally fresh)

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Method

Heat 1 tbsp oil (or ghee) in a large saucepan. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Meanwhile, use a peeler to shave thin ribbons of roughly half a parsnip and half a carrot and set aside, then cut the rest into 3cm chunks. Add the chunks of parsnip and carrot to the onion, along with the ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the lentils, coconut milk, a canful of water, the turmeric and garam masala, then bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves with a pinch of salt. Once hot and sizzling, add the finely sliced parsnip and carrot. Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables are crisp and tender. Serve the lentil curry with rice, then pour over the spiced crispy veg oil.