Dal is without a doubt one of my current go to and favourite recipes of the moment. If you ask any of my friends, each of them will tell you that I’ve made Dhal for dinner at least twice for dinner when I’m hosting for the evening. Last year it was a red Thai curry phase.. but this seems to be the favour of the year this time around.
I wanted to experiment with a bit of a twist on my classic go to recipe and loved the idea of creating something that was a vibrant red colour. Beetroot is an amazing way of colouring recipes naturally and works so well when making things like cupcakes, pancakes, soups, mash and so much more. It has such a gorgeous bright pink colour and doesn’t alter the flavour of the dish at all!
This year, I’ve also made quite a large transition to a more plant based way of eating and meals like this are a great way of introducing family and friends to more veggie options. It’s really warming and filling, so you won’t feel like you’re missing the meat element of a dish, in my opinion. Beans and pulses are also great sources of fibre and plant based protein, so are such a wonderful thing to incorporate into dishes. Also, recipes like this are SO cost effective and can be prepped in big batches to feel the whole family or for meal prep for the week ahead.
Ingredients
- null
- 4 beetroots (cooked)
- 1 cup yellow chana dal 1/2 brown onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp Arctic Berries Cranberry Powder
- 1 vegetable stock cube 2 tsp curry powder
- 3/4 tsp turmeric
- Pinch black pepper Pinch chilli flakes (or to taste)
- Pinch ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground cumin 250ml canned coconut milk
- Tsp coconut oil
- 2-3 cups water
Method
Start by heating the oil in a large pan and bring the heat to medium. Add in the spices and cook until fragrant.
Finely dice the onion and add this into the pan to cook with the spices to soften.
Add in your yellow chana dal, crush in the garlic and pour in half of the water, stock cube and your can of coconut milk.
Bring this to the boil, then reduce to a medium heat and leave to cook.
As the liquid is absorbed, add in the rest of the water and cook until your dal has thickened and the pulses are cooked fully. Grate in your cooked beetroot & stir through the berry powder, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Leave this to cook for a final 20 minutes and adjust any seasonings to taste.
