Who doesn’t know what Dal is? Whether you are a Sri Lankan or not, most of us at least tried it at one point in our life. However, if you are like me, I swam in Sri Lankan parippu since I was a baby. So I soon learned to make the Masoor dal curry recipe too.
Easy recipe to follow, healthy and safe for kids to enjoy. Try the dal recipe, impress your family or save it for later to enjoy.
Dal is a famous curry for kids. Like I grew up with dal, my husband too grew up loving dal. Whether that is for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Dal was always served as one of the curries back home, especially for kids.
We, Sri Lankans, use the term parippu often back home. It’s just another word for dal. It’s the easiest dal recipe I still make often. One of the most enjoyed side dishes in the family and at times it brings back fond memories of our childhood times.
Those were the sweet days!!!
You can serve dal with…
- Poll Roti
- Chapati Roti
- Naan and other roti types
- Ghee Rice
- White, Brown or Red Rice
- Lump Rice
- Roast Paan
- Toasts
This dal recipe can be served with so many various other food. The best way to serve dal is with Rice and Curry in my opinion.
If you are interested, click to view my recipe collection. I have tons of healthy vegetables, sides and curries to choose from, you can follow the easy steps to create many dishes of your own.
Make a few healthy sides, along with the dal to create your own Sri Lankans’ famous rice and curry. Impress your family to a Sri Lankan feast.
Sri Lankan Parippu (Masoor Dal Curry Recipe)
Masoor dal tastes rich with coconut milk, herbs and spices. The combination brings the Sri Lankan parippu recipe with bursting flavours. Cook to impress your family.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive oil or any cooking oil
- 4-5 Curry leaves
- 1/3 Tsp Mustard seed
- 2 Sun-dried red chili pepper
- 1/4 Medium-size Onion Sliced
- 1/3 Tsp Chili/Curry powder Optional
- 1 Cup Red lentils (Masoor dal)
- Water
- 1/3 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1-2 Garlic clove Peeled
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/3 Cup Coconut milk or whole milk
Instructions
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Begin by washing the lentils well in water, drain, then soak them in enough water to cover the lentils. Set aside for a few minutes.
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In the meantime, heat a deep enough pot in medium/high heat. Add the oil, mustard seeds, sun-dried chili pepper, and the curry leaves. When the mustard seeds are starting to splutter, add the onions too and cook until they turn a golden brown.
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Add the garlic, turmeric powder, curry/chili powder as well as the lentils along with the water. Don't forget to add salt to it. Cook for about 5-8 minutes.
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Soon it will start to bubble. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook for another 8-10 minutes. Stir occasionally during cooking, soon it will start to thicken.
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NOTE – If the lentils are soft enough to get mushed then it’s well done you can drain any excess water if any. If you feel it’s not cooked enough, add a little more water and leave it to cook a few more minutes.
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Once the water is removed/evaporated and the lentil is boiled well, add the milk and let it simmer for about 5 more minutes before taking it off the stove.
Spinach in Masoor Dal Recipe
Yes! It tastes delicious and healthy at the same time. There are 2 ways of adding spinach to the dal.
Method # 1
Take a handful of spinach and add it towards the very end of the cooking process. Keep stirring so that the spinach will get slightly cooked while it is being blended well together.
Method # 2
Saute the spinach separately in a pan. Use herbs and spices like black pepper, chili flakes, garlic/onion powders, salt are all options you can pick and choose to add flavours to your spinach. When done pour it over the cooked dal and give it a light stir before serving.
Coriander in Masoor Dal Recipe
Yes! This has a flavour of its own when added to the dal. Chop a few strands of coriander and add it to the dal at the very end of the cooking process. The coriander brings out a beautiful aroma and a taste that’s hard to resist from enjoying.
Storing
Left-over dal can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days the most. To store longer, cook the dal in a mild version without the milk. When done cool it down before storing it in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze up to a month. When it comes to freezing, I prefer packing them in small quantities and in different batches. That way it’s easier to thaw only the amount I need and not spoil the rest.
When your ready to use them again, just have to reheat the thawed dhal with a little water and/or milk to serve.
To add more flavours to your dal, first, sautee the onions and the rest of the ingredients from the recipe in a pan, then add the thawed dal to reheat, add the milk at the end to taste and look fresh.
We cook dal just about every other day or so. Both mine and my hubby’s favourite childhood food we enjoy still to this day and now my kids enjoy it too.
I hope you all love this dal dish as well. If you fell in love with this recipe, do check out my other awesome recipes too.
You can choose from many curries, delicious sambals, easy snacks and desserts to satisfy all your food cravings. Click HERE to view more of my delicious and healthy recipes.
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Really loved this simple recipe!
Yes, Masoor dal is a simple recipe and one we constantly make at home. Easy and delicious. I’m glad you found it useful.. do try my other recipes too, they are delicious.