Sri Lankan Dhal Curry
This recipe for Sri Lankan Dhal Curry features red split lentils simmered with onion, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, pandan, spices, and coconut milk, creating a creamy, aromatic curry. The finished dish is topped with a flavorful temperadu—a mixture of crispy onions, garlic, curry leaves, pandan, dried chilies, chili flakes, and mustard seeds sautéed in coconut oil—to add texture and depth. The result is a vibrant, comforting plant-based curry, rich in flavor and representative of classic Sri Lankan cuisine.
Ingredients 16
Curry
220 g red split lentils, washed
1⁄3 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 green chilli, small, sliced
1⁄2 sprig curry leaves
1 inch piece pandan
1⁄2 tsp turmeric
1⁄3 tbsp sri lankan curry powder, raw
1⁄3 tsp chilli powder
200 ml coconut milk, thick
water, to cover the lentils
salt, to taste
Temperadu
3 tbsp coconut oil
1⁄2 tbsp mustard seeds
1⁄3 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 sprig curry leaf
1 inch piece pandan
3 dried chilies, chopped
1⁄2 tbsp chilli flakes
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Method 5
Wash the well, cover them with just enough water, and soak for 10 minutes.
Add the soaked , chopped , thinly sliced , sliced , , , , raw Sri Lankan , , salt, and enough water to cover the lentils. Cover and cook on medium-high heat, reserving the coconut milk for later.
After 7–8 minutes, the should be almost cooked. Add the , reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Set aside and cover.
Temperadu
Heat a small skillet with . Add the , and once they start to pop, add the , , , , , and . Sauté for 3–4 minutes until the onions and garlic get crispy.
Serve the lentils and drizzle the temperadu on top.
