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Coconut Lentil Dal with Rice

Coconut Lentil Dal with Rice reads sourness 4.7, citrus 4.7 and allium 4.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 51 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.3 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 4.7 · Citrus 4.7 · Allium 4.6 · Richness 4.4 · Umami 3.9 · Salinity 3.8 · Sweetness 3.1 · Nutty 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Heat 2.4 · Earthy 2.3 · Fruity 1.7 · Floral 1.7 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (17)

• long grain basmati rice — 177 g
• oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• tomato paste — 15 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• cumin — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• red lentils — 355 g
• coconut milk — 397 g
• vegetable broth — 710 g
• salt — 7 g
• baby spinach — 473 g
• lime juice — 15 g
• cilantro leaves — 7 g
• water — 414 g

Time & effort: about 51 min (45 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 119.1 kcal, 4.6 g protein, 4.6 g fat, 15.6 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Combine the rinsed rice with 1 3/4 cups water in a small covered saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. While the rice cooks, heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning golden at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato paste, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices smell toasty, about 1 minute — this blooms the spices and keeps the dal from tasting raw or dusty.
5. Stir in the red lentils to coat them in the spiced onion mixture, then pour in the coconut milk and vegetable broth. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
6. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam that rises, until the lentils have completely broken down and the dal is thick and creamy, 18-20 minutes.
7. Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 2 minutes.
8. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and add more salt or cayenne as needed. Spoon the dal over the rice and scatter with cilantro to finish.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chickpea Coconut Curry with Kale — Indian
• Skillet Chickpea and Spinach Curry — Indian
• Coconut Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry — Indian
• Spicy Pepper Chicken Curry — Indian
• Vegetarian Coconut Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach — Indian

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.