Cauliflower Dahl

You need to try vegan cauliflower dhal

There’s nothing quite like a tasty bowl of dhal as part of an Indian meal.

You don’t have to go to an Indian restaurant to enjoy this delicious dish, you can make your very own version at home.

We’ve tried many different types of dhal before when cooking Indian feasts but we have to admit that cauliflower dhal is now one of our favourites!

And at 136 calories per serving, this vegan dish seems even more attractive!

What is dhal made of?

The main ingredient to dhal or dal, are lentils.

Split peas aren’t the same as lentils, split peas are, as the name suggest, peas that split and lentils are actually seeds that are found in a plant but they both belong to the legume family.

Different dahls use different lentils and they are slowly simmered in spiced water until the lentils have split and broken down.

What goes in cauliflower dal?

In this recipe, we use half a cauliflower, red lentils, coriander, ginger, chilli, turmeric, cumin seeds, olive oil and onions.

Is dhal a main course or a side dish?

This lentil dish is really flexible and can be both. It’s great as a side dish as part of an Indian meal or it can be a delicious main course.

Just eat it with rice or a tasty naan bread and it’s incredibly filling.

Is dhal served hot or cold?

Actually it can be served both hot and cold.

Daal can be put in the fridge and when it’s kept chilled it will last for around a week.

Ingenious ways of serving dhal

We’ve already mentioned that dhal is the perfect side dish for an Indian feast or main course served with rice.

It’s also fantastic served as a soup, imagine tucking into the soup and dunking a freshly made naan bread – yummy!

But why not consider serving dal in a wrap? The cauliflower with and the wonderful taste will make a very tasty wrap, ideal as a leftover for lunch the next day.

You could always serve it cold with a salad, not your usual way of serving, but doesn’t that sound great?

Is dahl difficult to make?

No it’s not, it’s actually a pretty easy recipe to make at home.

We’ll give the full recipe instructions below and ingredient quantities but here’s a summary of how to make it.

First you’ll want to wash the cauliflower and remove any of the cauliflower leaves and separate the cauliflower florets, so they are a good size.

Next you’ll place the cauliflower on a roasting tray along with some flavoursome cumin seeds and you roast them until they are a nice golden brown colour.

Then you take your red lentils and wash them, then put them in a pan along with turmeric and a splash of olive oil. You bring to the boil and let them simmer.

Meanwhile in heat sunflower oil in a large pan you add in cumin seeds, you finely chop your onions and then add the onion into the pan and add them.

Next you add in your ginger, using fresh root ginger is best.

Throw in some chilli’s and and some finely chopped coriander leaves and you have the making of a wonderful hearty comfort dish.

If you don’t have fresh coriander, you could use ground coriander but fresh is best and it’s always great to garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Ok, I’m confused, how on earth do you spell daal?

Yes, your confusion is understandable, they are so many ways of spelling this popular Indian dish.

So we’ve included all the different spellings throughout this recipe post!

Recipe notes and tips

• If you’re out of turmeric, then take a look at our substitute for turmeric post full of helpful tips.

So how do I make this brilliant dish?

• Just follow our step by step instructions and you’ll make it easily.

If you are an international visitor to this site and you use cups, then just press the toggle button directly under the ingredient list and it’ll instantly convert for you.

We hope that you enjoy this recipe and we’d really love to hear your feedback, please leave a comment below.

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