Sri Lankan Dhal Curry Recipe (2024)

Published: Nov 17, 2018 · Modified: Aug 4, 2020 by Usha Rao

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Sri Lankan dhal curry is a simple, delicious, everyday comfort food. It goes well with rice and any flatbreads.

What is Dhal Curry?

Dhal Curry is a staple in Sri Lanka and served with rice or roti, along with other veg or non veg curries and a sambol. Sambol is a spicy Sri Lankan condiment, similar to Indian chutneys. Sri Lankan dhal curry is red lentils cooked in coconut milk with some roasted onions, tomatoes and a few spices.

As with any recipe, there are many versions of dhal curry; varying in preparation to ingredients. Today's recipe is a no garlic version with minimal spices.

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What is Dhal Curry?
Why Dhal Curry?
Sri Lankan Cuisine
📖 Recipe

Why Dhal Curry?

Intriguing and unique ingredient in this curry is coconut milk, which makes it unique from Indian dals. Grated coconut or coconut paste is common in some South Indian dals but addition of coconut milk is a rarity. Addition of cream or milk is common in some North Indian dals and those taste amazing. One such dal is Lucknowi dal, which I tried for Dazzling Dal series back in May but could not post the recipe. Since dairy milk tastes good in dal, it was time to taste coconut milk, hence this curry.

Besides, dhal curry is quick and easy recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes, which is a must have recipe for crazy weekday meals.

Sri Lankan Cuisine

The theme for this week is global cuisine and my choice is Sri Lankan cuisine. Sri Lanka is India’s southern neighbor and it’s cuisine is influenced by South Indian cuisine. Rice and coconut are staple.

Dhal curry is similar to Indian dals with minor variation. A simple, delicious meal I put together from this cuisine is kale mallung, eggplant salad and dhal curry with rice. For a non veg option, try some Sri Lankan shrimp curry.

📖 Recipe

Sri Lankan Dhal Curry

Sri Lankan Dhal curry is everyday red lentils cooked in coconut milk.

4.75 from 8 votes

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Sri Lankan

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 3

Calories:

Ingredients

¼ cup Masoor Dal ~ Red Lentils
½ cup Water
1 - 2 tablespoon Coconut Milk or Oil of choice

Tempering Ingredients

2 teaspoon Coconut Oil
⅛ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
⅛ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
⅛ teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
3-4 Curry Leaves
2-3 Green Chilies cut in half
¼ cup sliced Onions
¼ cup Tomatoes chopped
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon Turmeric
Garlic optional

Instructions

Wash masoor dal and cook with ½ cup of water until dal is cooked but firm. This takes about 10-15 minutes.
Add coconut milk and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes.
Meantime, heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek seeds and let mustard seeds pop.
Throw in curry leaves, green chilies, onions and saute until onions are soft.
Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric and cook until tomatoes are soft, and mushy.
Transfer onion tomato mixture to cooked masoor dal, keeping aside a some mixture for garnish.
Check consistency of dal, add water if required, bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Garnish dhal curry with remaining onion tomato mixture.
Serve hot with rice along with few other non veg or veg curries.

Notes

Garlic - is an optional ingredient and if using, add some crushed garlic in tempering.
Coconut Milk - I used canned milk. If using top layer, use 1 tbsp. If using coconut milk, use 2 tablespoons.
Green Chilies - Dhal is not spicy hot and add more green chilies for some heat, as per heat tolerance level.
Variation - Cook dal with some onion, garlic and curry leaves. This is in addition to onions and curry leaves that go into the tempering.

Nutrition

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This is my entry to My Legume Love Affair, MLLA # 122. This is a series started by Susan, hosted by Lisa. This month's guest host is Cook with Renu.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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Srivalli Jetti says
November 30, 2018 at 3:48 am
I remember making this for the srilakan cuisine and enjoyed it..very nicely clicked usha, six months is way too long right?
Reply
code2cook says
November 29, 2018 at 12:19 pm
sri lankan dal curry looking awesome. perfect side dish with rice and roti. Loved the color and thickness.
See Also
Simple & Quick Stuffed Baby Eggplants/Brinjal/Aubergine Recipe | Baby Eggplants in Peanut and Coconut Gravy
Reply
Pavani says
November 28, 2018 at 2:33 pm

Welcome back to blogging Usha. I know the first post after a break is always difficult, but you did great 🙂
Sri Lankan dal curry looks delicious. I love the addition of coconut milk in there.
Reply
Sushma Pinjala says
November 27, 2018 at 11:50 am
Dal is always a comfort food. Such a nice color it has got, looks yummy.
Reply
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
November 26, 2018 at 9:09 am

I am in love with this recipe. It is made with masoor dal and also has coconut milk in it, which are my absolute favorite. I am going to try this recipe soon.
Reply
Chef Mireille says
November 25, 2018 at 11:40 am

I've always loved the creamy coconut milk SL dal - I first tried it many years ago even before blogging and it remains one of my faves
Reply
Gayathri Kumar says
November 24, 2018 at 11:57 pm
I love Srilanka recipes because they resemble our recipes a lot. And with the addition of coconut in most of the dishes they are so full of flavour. I haven't tried adding coconut in dal but this sounds awesome. That spread looks amazing Usha.
Reply
harini says
November 23, 2018 at 7:34 pm

I made Lucknowi dal with regular milk and I see this Sri Lankan dal with coconut milk. Amazed at the similarities across countries. This one sounds very flavorful with coconut milk.
Reply
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says
November 20, 2018 at 12:49 pm

I am big fan of dals and this one with coconut milk sounds very yum. Welcome back to BM . And same here, after 5 months break I joined this month. Getting used to the routine.
Reply
Renu says
November 19, 2018 at 3:45 am

This is so similar to our dhal and yet so different with the addition of coconut milk. It must have definitely added to the texture and flavour. Looks yum.
Reply
- MySpicyKitchen says
  November 19, 2018 at 7:19 am
  Coconut milk does add to the flavor and since I used coconut oil as well for tempering, it felt little heavy (more filling) compared to other dals.
  Reply
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
November 19, 2018 at 2:26 am
I have been wanting to make this dal ever since I bookmarked it among the recipes while doing the Sinhalese cuisine for a past BM! It sounds very similiar to how we make our dal, but with minor differences, and I really want to know how it tastes like! That whole meal looks so delicious and homely...
Reply
- MySpicyKitchen says
  November 19, 2018 at 7:17 am
  I liked it Rafeeda. It was slightly mild but one can always adjust the spice level.
  Reply
Priya Suresh says
November 17, 2018 at 2:02 pm
I love the addition of coconut milk in this dhal, have tried long back and still remember the flavor of this dal curry. Prefect nutritious dhal curry to try without any fail.
Reply
- MySpicyKitchen says
  November 18, 2018 at 2:28 pm
  Yes, Priya. Can't go wrong with this dhal. All one needs do is adjust the seasoning as it might be a bit bland for spice lovers.
  Reply

FAQs

How to thicken homemade dhal? ›

If the lentils or dal are still runny keep cooking until they are not. You can add 1 or 1/2 teaspoons of coriander powder in order to thicken dal. If there isn't too much water already in dal, you can just mash them or even blend them. That will make the dal thicker.

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How to thicken up dal? ›

Dal can be thick or quite thin, depending on the where it's being made and how it's intended to be used. For moong, I want the dal to be loose enough to puddle on the plate, never pasty. You can easily thicken the dal by simmering it a bit more (uncovered, of course), or thin it out a bit with some extra water.

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How much protein is in dal curry? ›

Nutrition Facts

Fat 8g (40% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholest. 0mg (0% DV), Sodium 720mg (31% DV), Total Carb. 73g (27% DV), Fiber 20g (71% DV), Total Sugars 5g (Incl. 0g Added Sugars, 0% DV), Protein 17g (34% DV), Vit.

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How thick should dal be? ›

They should have the consistency of porridge – thicker than soup and looser than houmous. Add more water as necessary (you will be surprised how thick they can get over just a couple of extra minutes cooking), and mix in your aromatic fried mixture.

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How do you enhance the taste of dhal? ›

Therefore, adding spices like cumin, mace, garlic, chilli powder, etc., is a must, or you can pour some Sunrise Tadka Masala and quickly prepare it without any problem. Try this tadka masala in masoor dal, and you can't forget its delicious flavour. Never let your lentil dish be boring again.

Why should we soak dal before cooking? ›

However, several anti-nutrients in dal, like as phytic acid and tannins, can interfere with digestion and mineral absorption. Soaking dal softens it and makes it easier to prepare. It also cuts down on the amount of water and fuel required to boil the dal. This saves time, energy, and materials.

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How long should I soak dhal? ›

Let the dal remain soaked for 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the type of dal. Split pulses can be soaked for 30 minutes or 1 hour and whole pulses should be soaked for 2 hours. This will not only break down complex carbs but will also cut down cooking time.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is my dahl watery? ›

Why is my dal watery? Reason: 1) You have added too much water to the dal or 2) you undercooked the dal so the lentils stand separately and the water stands separately and they don't mix/emulsify into a creamy and thick texture. Solution: Boil the dal at a high heat for a longer time with the lid off.

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How to make lentils less watery? ›

Bring your liquid up to a boil, add your lentils, then turn down your heat to a simmer for at least 25-30 minutes. Keep tasting your lentils as they cook to see if they're the consistency you want—more firm if you're eating them on their own or in a salad, and softer if they're going into a soup or stew.

Does Dahl thicken as cool? ›

The dhal will thicken slightly as it cools, so stir in a splash of water when reheating to reach your preferred consistency. The dhal can be served on its own as a side dish or with lots of delicious accompaniments for a main.

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How do you thicken watery lentil soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

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