Red Lentil Dal

This creamy red lentil dal is made with butternut squash, coconut, red pepper flakes, and curry powder for a cozy vegan protein with a hint of sweetness. For extra creaminess, add some yogurt (Greek, non-fat, dairy-free—it’s your choice!) on top.

1 ½ cups dry red lentils
1 cup butternut squash, cooked and mashed
1 small bell pepper
1 large onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 heaped tbsp fresh ginger minced
½ tbsp vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable broth or water
1 cup canned coconut milk (see notes)
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp curry powder
½ tbsp sweetener of choice
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
⅓ tsp red pepper flakes 

Rinse lentils under running water. Chop the onion, garlic, ginger, and bell pepper.
Heat oil in a pot and sauté onion for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, carrot, and bell pepper.
Add all spices, sweetener, lentils, and vegetable broth or water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Finally, add coconut milk and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the desired thickness of the dahl is reached.
Season with black pepper and salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Serve warm with basmati rice, potatoes, or naan (flatbread) and garnish with fresh herbs or portion into 1 cup containers and refrigerate.