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Recipe · Meal

Red lentil dal with crispy onions

●● Easy
Prep15 min Cook25 min Serves4 portions Cost~£1.63 per portion Equipment Heavy-based pan
Freezes well Gluten-free Kid-friendly Vegan Vegetarian

Make it vs buy it

This batch costs about £1.32 (estimated from ingredients). Add a "buy it instead" price to see how much making it saves.

Adapted from Plenty — source — Swapped the original yellow split peas for red lentils and cut the cook time for a weeknight.

Swapped the original yellow split peas for red lentils and cut the cook time for a weeknight.

Ingredients

2
The base of most savoury cooking worldwide — sweetness and depth come from slow, patient cooking, not a hot pan.
A good source of prebiotic fibre that supports gut bacteria.
Crying is caused by a sulfur compound released when cells are cut — chilling the onion first helps.
Full ingredient page →
200g
1 tsp
Gives dal its colour and a warm, earthy base note — bloom it in the oil, don't add it late.
Pairs with black pepper for better absorption of its active compound, curcumin.
Full ingredient page →
1 can
1 tbsp
Adds a sharp, warming lift that balances turmeric's earthiness.
Traditionally used to settle digestion, often alongside turmeric in the same dishes.
Full ingredient page →
1 large
250g
2 tbsp Neutral oil
to taste Salt

Method

01

Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until soft and golden. Don't rush this — it's most of the flavour in the dish.

02

Scoop out a third of the onions and set aside — these will be the crispy topping. Add the ginger and turmeric to the pan with the remaining onions. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.

03

Add the red lentils and 700ml water. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have broken down and the dal has thickened.

04

While the dal simmers, return the reserved onions to a small pan over medium-high heat and cook until deep golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.

05

Season the dal to taste with salt. Serve topped with the crispy onions.

What this dish is doing for you

Physical and mental benefits, rolled up from this recipe's ingredients and grouped by the outcome they support.

💪 Digestion & gut health Traditional use
Rich in prebiotic fibre that feeds beneficial gut bacteria.
Traditionally used to settle digestion.
from Onions, sliced, Ground turmeric
💪 Anti-inflammatory support Traditional use
Curcumin is studied for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Gingerol is studied for its anti-inflammatory and digestive properties.
from Ground turmeric, Ginger, grated
💪 Micronutrient support Strong clinical evidence
Exceptionally high in vitamin A (beta-carotene).
High in folate, important for cell repair and pregnancy.
from Sweet potato, Red lentils
💪 Antioxidant protection Mechanism established, magnitude disputed
Quercetin, a flavonoid in onions, is studied for its antioxidant properties.
from Onions, sliced
💪 Other benefit Mechanism established, magnitude disputed
High in healthy saturated fats (MCTs).
from Coconut milk
💪 Bone health Mechanism established, magnitude disputed
Source of manganese for bone health.
from Coconut milk
💪 Other benefit Moderate clinical evidence
Traditionally used to settle nausea.
from Ginger, grated
💪 Energy & metabolism Strong clinical evidence
Slow-release energy from complex carbohydrates.
from Sweet potato
💪 Other benefit Strong clinical evidence
Excellent source of plant protein — a staple in vegetarian cooking.
from Red lentils
🧠 Comfort & ritual Traditional use
The ritual of blooming spices slowly is a grounding kitchen practice.
The natural sweetness makes it feel like comfort food without added sugar.
Dal is comfort food across South Asia — the dish many associate with home.
from Ground turmeric, Sweet potato, Red lentils
🧠 Other benefit Traditional use
The slow caramelisation of onions is often described as meditative.
from Onions, sliced
🧠 Mood Traditional use
Some research links curcumin to mood support.
from Ground turmeric
🧠 Other benefit Traditional use
The base of many Southeast Asian curries — instantly makes a dish feel luxurious.
from Coconut milk
🧠 Other benefit Traditional use
The sharp, clean flavour is often described as uplifting.
from Ginger, grated
Mental-health claims are based on specific studied circumstances — see individual ingredient pages for detail. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Nutrient profile per serving

Computed from UK CoFID per-100g data for this recipe's ingredients, split across 4 servings. Percentages are of daily reference values for a typical adult.

Worth knowing Iron 32% Zinc 22% Calcium 3%
Energy & macros
Energy 195 kcal 10%
Protein 16.1 g 32%
Carbohydrate 32.2 g 12%
of which sugars 0.8 g <1%
Fat 1.2 g 2%
of which saturates 0.2 g 1%
Fibre 3.1 g 10%
Salt 0.00 g <1%
Minerals
Potassium 479 mg 14%
Calcium 22 mg 3%
Magnesium 39 mg 13%
Phosphorus 221 mg 40%
Iron 4.7 mg 32%
Zinc 2.1 mg 22%
Copper 0.46 mg 39%
Selenium 21.3 mcg 28%
Iodine 3.8 mcg 3%
Vitamins
Vitamin A 6.3 mcg <1%
Vitamin D 0.0 mcg 0%
Vitamin E 0.7 mg 6%
Vitamin C 0.1 mg <1%
Thiamin (B1) 0.21 mg 21%
Riboflavin (B2) 0.08 mg 6%
Niacin (B3) 1.9 mg 11%
Vitamin B6 0.16 mg 12%
Vitamin B12 0.00 mcg 0%
Folate 61.6 mcg 31%
Omega-3
Omega-3 0.00 g 0%

Vitamin C, folate and thiamin values apply a cooking-loss factor for this dish's method (vitamin C keeps roughly 50%); minerals and B12 are treated as cooking-stable. Percentages are of the UK Reference Nutrient Intake for a typical adult where one exists; nutrients without an official RNI (fibre, vitamin D, vitamin E, omega-3) are shown against UK dietary guidelines. Not all of this recipe's ingredients could be included in the nutrient figures — see the data coverage note below.

Data coverage

These ingredients couldn't be included in the figures above:

Onions, sliced, Coconut milk, Sweet potato, Salt — the amount can't be converted to grams
Neutral oil — no ingredient page is linked
Red lentil — the ingredient has no linked CoFID record

Red lentil dal with crispy onions

Prep 15 min Cook 25 min Serves 4 Cost ~£1.63/portion

Swapped the original yellow split peas for red lentils and cut the cook time for a weeknight.

Ingredients

  • 2 Onions, sliced
  • 200g Red lentil
  • 1 tsp Ground turmeric
  • 1 can Coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp Ginger, grated
  • 1 large Sweet potato
  • 250g Red lentils
  • 2 tbsp Neutral oil
  • to taste Salt

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until soft and golden. Don't rush this — it's most of the flavour in the dish.
  2. Scoop out a third of the onions and set aside — these will be the crispy topping. Add the ginger and turmeric to the pan with the remaining onions. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the red lentils and 700ml water. Bring to a simmer, then cook uncovered for 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have broken down and the dal has thickened.
  4. While the dal simmers, return the reserved onions to a small pan over medium-high heat and cook until deep golden and crisp, about 5 minutes.
  5. Season the dal to taste with salt. Serve topped with the crispy onions.