This Easy Vegan Tomato Dhal With Onion Tarka is a quick, easy, healthy, and cheap dhal curry. Topped with spiced caramelized onions, makes the ultimate comfort food.
I love to serve this dhal with a side of my 15-minute Za’atar flatbread for a complete meal.
This is a filling protein-rich plant-based dhal which is delicious with nothing more than a steaming bowl of rice to serve it with. It does, however, pairs very well with steamed veggies and naans.
This tomato dhal is finished with a lovely onion tarka ( fried spice mix ) – a finishing touch that makes the dish extra special but is by no means essential.
This is a great healthy lunch box dish, just make sure to use airtight containers. Also, it’s good frozen where it will last for 1-3 or so months. For some reason, this dish often tastes better as leftovers heated up. Maybe the spices blend and mature when left for longer to mingle?
It packs a lot of nutritious goodness too; you get your 2 out of your 5 a day per portion, not to mention it’s filling and it’s high in protein and complex carbs and low in calories, which makes it ideal for people who are trying to lose weight.
Anyway! Do let me know how you found this Easy Vegan Tomato Dhal With Onion Tarka if you try it though! And if there was anything you tried or something that worked better…Do drop me a comment below, or you can find me/message me directly on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook! I love seeing what my lovely readers think of my recipes!
Easy Vegan Tomato Dhal With Onion Tarka
Ingredients
- For the Dhal
- 2 1/2 cups/700ml of hot water
- 14 oz/400g can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup/200g of red lentils
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 bay leave
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp of ground turmeric
- 2 tsp of ground coriander
- salt to taste I used 1/2 tsp
- For the onion Tarka:
- 1 tbsp of oil
- 1 bay leave
- 1 black cardamon pods or 3 green ones bashed to split open
- 1 tsp of mustard seeds
- 1 tsp of cumin seeds
- a good pinch of chili flakes
- 1 large or to small red onions halved and sliced
Instructions
- First, make the dhal.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bay leaves, garlic, turmeric, and dried coriander and sit well.
- Let the mixture fry gently for a few minutes to activate the spices. Add the can of tomatoes, stir and try to break the big bits of tomatoes. Cook uncovered for about 10 minutes.
- Rinse the lentils well. Then add them to your saucepan with the salt. Add the vegetable stock or water. Simmer on fairly low heat, stirring frequently so that the bottom doesn't 'catch'. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes uncovered until at least the lentils are cooked.
- Once the dhal is cooked, let it stand for 10 minutes. It will thicken more once it's cooked.
- To make the tarka, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the spices, and fry for one minute. Then add the onions and fry for about 10 minutes until absolutely soft and caramelized.
- Ladle the dhal into bowls and top with the onion tarka. Enjoy! 🙂
Notes
Nutrition
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