Let’s make one-pot lentil dahl tonight. Uncomplicated and uncompromised, this whole food, plant-based one-pot lentil dahl has all the goodness of red lentils, the heartiness and comfort of Japanese yams (or sweet potatoes), plus onions, tomatoes and jalapenos (if you want to spice it up). This is a whole food, plant-based, no-oil marvel and is perfect with baked pakoras & mango sauce.
My recent discovery
I recently ran across Japanese yams in the shop across the street. Perhaps they’d been there all along, but they caught my eye and I had to give them a try. Yum! Purple on the outside and white on the inside, Japanese yams are not nearly as sweet as orange yams or sweet potatoes and I’ve found them to be much heartier to cook with as they don’t go mushy (technical term there) when cooked with other ingredients. I’ll also vouch that they make great oven chips (fries). Good news – if you can’t find these great little root vegetables, you can use regular sweet potatoes or yams.
When I was a kid…
I don’t recall a time growing up when we had red lentils (ok, any lentils) and now, I couldn’t live without them. They are a mainstay of any whole food, plant-based kitchen. My tip – always have them on hand. Red lentils deliver a high nutritional yield which means that your investment per calorie is worth every bite. Speaking of calories, red lentils are super low, and they have no fat, so eat up – you’re getting a fill of protein, fiber and potassium, yes, potassium. Best of all you will leave the table quite satisfied.
Final thoughts
Trying a new food or recipe is a small commitment, a little extra effort. However, this start point when compounded with another new food or recipe can lead us to adopting a new approach to food and hopefully a rich life filled with whole food, plant-based variety. As a result, it’s an opportunity to change our health destiny. I’ve read that it takes 21 days to create a new habit, but I like the approach of one meal at a time – turn one page of the book that creates a new story if we allow it. Peace.
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easy one-pot lentil dahl
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
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Pin RecipeDescription
One-pot dahl is the perfect plant-based, oil free dish. No need for tempering, just put red lentils and Japanese yams along with onions, jalapenos, tomatoes and easy access spices to create a hearty and flavorful dahl.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400 g) red lentils
- 2 cups (300 g) diced Japanese yams (or sweet potatoes)
- 1 cup (150 g) sliced red onions
- 2 cups (350 g) diced tomatoes
- 2 jalapenos diced (optional)
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 cups (1 1/2 l)water
Instructions
- Rinse the red lentils
- In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients
- Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer until the water is absorbed and the lentils have broken down (about 15-20 minutes). Stir the ingredients once or twice.
- Job done! Garnish with diced red onions, diced jalapenos (if you dare) or coriander (cilantro).
Notes
- Serve this with baked pakoras & mango sauce. Yummy.
- Substitute sweet potatoes (or yams) for the Japanese yams, add them to the pot after about 10 minutes of cooking to avoid them getting too mushy.
- Abandon the sweet potato idea altogether add diced carrots or regular white potatoes.
- Throw a can of chickpeas in the pot if you want a bit more flare or to bulk it out.
- Category: Main Courses
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Plant-Based
Keywords: easy one-pot lentil dahl
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