A dhal recipe, from my family to yours x
A recent sunday lunch of my own
“This is the food I crave when I need to return to myself or when someone I love needs holding from the inside out.”
In many South and Southeast Asian homes, dhal is one of the first foods you learn to cook, not just because it's simple, but because it's sacred. In my family, the smell of slowly simmering lentils was the smell of Sunday lunches.
Adults and children alike would find a spot on the floor or couch, because we were too great in number to be sitting at a dining table, the dining table at my grandparents honestly felt like it was for “real guests” or a place where you’d drop your things on the way in and where random things left behind sat waiting for their owner to come and collect them when they next would visit.
My grandmother never needed a recipe, though my grandpa did go to work in penning these down as he started to take over the cooking reins. She always measured with her heart, and I would often side glance at her after putting a tablespoon in, and she would say, “a little more”. As if her fingers knew the measure of turmeric by memory, and I’d swirl the pot gently under her tutelage.
Lentils are more than protein, they’re grounding, warming, and deeply sustaining. Traditionally eaten with soft rice and a little oil or broth, dhal is one of the most gentle, digestible foods for a new mother’s healing body. After birth, the womb is open, the body depleted. It’s also a dear friend throughout the seasons of your cycle, changing up the garnishes and inclusions to work with whichever phase you are in.
Just like in Chinese or Ayurvedic postpartum care, warmth is the anchor, and dhal delivers it in every bite. Ginger, turmeric, and soft legumes rebuild strength and nourish the blood, helping to restore what’s been given in birth and prepare for the work of feeding a child.
My grandparents and mother didn’t talk about ‘macronutrients’ or ‘gut health’, but they knew what healed. Dhal is not fashionable. It’s foundational. It has fed revolutions, temples, villages, and hospital beds. It’s the dish passed from grandmother to mother to daughter, simmered slowly with love, sometimes served with a boiled egg, sometimes with nothing but rice and salt.
It’s the food I crave when I need to return to myself or when someone I love needs holding from the inside out. In every pot of dhal I make now, I feel her, guiding my hands, reminding me that nourishment is never just physical.
Now, this recipe isn’t the original and I’m sure my grandmother’s wasn’t either. Like me, she was more inclined to wing it than follow every step. Over the years, I’ve adapted it to my own tastes and cravings, and even now, if something’s missing, I’ll swap something else in and somehow, it always works.
So here it is. I hope you love it as much as I do. And I hope, like me, you follow your heart more than the method.
Ingredients.
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
2 onions, diced
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon mustard seeds*
1 tablespoon dried curry leaves or 2 fresh fronds (leaves only)*
1 teaspoon garam masala
1–2 shakes ground cinnamon
1–2 shakes ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon ghee or butter
3 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
3 cups red lentils
3 tablespoons chicken bone broth powder (or veg)
1 tablespoon vegetable stock powder
1.5 L water
To finish
1 tablespoon salt
1 can coconut milk (optional)
A peel of lemon rind
Juice of half a lemon
*Omit or remove before serving for kid-friendliness.
Method
Add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add garlic, ginger, onion, turmeric, cinnamon, curry leaves, and garam masala. Sauté until the onions are soft and fragrant.
Add the red lentils and stir for 1–2 minutes to coat them with the spices.
In a jug, mix the bone broth powder, vegetable stock powder, salt, and water. Pour into the pot and add the lemon rind.
Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Once the lentils are tender and the dhal has thickened, stir in the coconut milk (if using) and lemon juice.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
In addition to the adjustments I have made to this recipe over the years, dhal is the perfect base on which you can build a light snack or a more considerable meal. Here are some of the ways I routinely spice my dhal up depending on the situation.
For a quick lunch, I’ll ladle it over soft rice with a squeeze of lemon and whatever greens are on hand, usually spinach and always chopped up for the perfect mouthful. If I’m after something more substantial, I’ll top it with a boiled egg, a spoon of yoghurt, or a handful of roasted seeds for crunch and grounding.
When the fridge is low, the freezer is always stocked with at least one container to which some frozen peas become a generous companion.
Dhal responds to your needs. It stretches, adapts, and waits (in the freezer) and like all the beast meals taught to you, by someone you love.
Crunchy and nutritious
For added crunch and flavour, pan roast some desiccated coconut, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds until golden, then sprinkle over the dhal just before serving.
Veggie load
For more depth and nourishment, toss in diced sweet potato, pumpkin, or cauliflower early so they soften as the dhal simmers. You can also grate in carrot or zucchini with the onions, or stir through chopped spinach or kale at the end for a pop of greens.
Protein boost
Add a can of chickpeas or black beans with the lentils for extra texture and protein. For a heartier version, top with shredded chicken or sliced boiled eggs.
Toppings and garnishes
Finish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes, crispy shallots, or golden garlic chips for crunch and contrast. A dollop of yoghurt, a drizzle of chilli oil or spiced ghee, and a handful of fresh herbs like coriander or mint elevate the dish beautifully.
Postpartum nourishment
This dhal is already rich in iron, protein, and warming spices. It’s ideal for the postpartum window. Reduce strong spices like mustard seeds and garam masala if digestion feels tender. Add finely chopped greens like spinach or soft-cooked pumpkin for recovery support, and serve with soft grains like white rice or well-cooked quinoa. A final drizzle of ghee helps ground the body and balance hormones. This recipe also freezes beautifully for easy reheating.
Download the recipe card here x
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