Curried Chickpea and Lentil Dal

Name: Curried Chickpea and Lentil Dal
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsp mustard seeds; ½ tsp ground turmeric; ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper; 1 to taste Kosher salt; 1 small shallot; 3 Tbsp golden raisins; 2 Tbsp cilantro stems; 1 Tbsp lime juice; 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 to taste Kosher salt and pepper; 3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil; 2 medium onions; 2 heads garlic; 1 3-inch piece ginger; 1 Tbsp curry powder; ½ tsp cayenne pepper; 1½ cups dried chickpeas; 2 13.5-oz cans unsweetened coconut milk; 1½ cups split red lentils; ¼ cup toasted coconut flakes; 2 to taste Fresno or serrano chiles; ¼ cup cilantro leaves

A rich and flavorful Indian-inspired dal combining tender chickpeas and red lentils in a creamy coconut milk base, seasoned with aromatic spices and served with mustard seed oil and cilantro-raisin chutney.

6 servings

1 hr 25 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
•2 Tbsp mustard seeds
•½ tsp ground turmeric
•⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
•1 to taste Kosher salt
•1 small shallot
•3 Tbsp golden raisins
•2 Tbsp cilantro stems
•1 Tbsp lime juice
•1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
•1 to taste Kosher salt and pepper
•3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil
•2 medium onions
•2 heads garlic
•1 3-inch piece ginger
•1 Tbsp curry powder
•½ tsp cayenne pepper
•1½ cups dried chickpeas
•2 13.5-oz cans unsweetened coconut milk
•1½ cups split red lentils
•¼ cup toasted coconut flakes
•2 to taste Fresno or serrano chiles
•¼ cup cilantro leaves

Cooking Instructions

1.
Cook oil and mustard seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low, swirling often, until mustard seeds start to pop. Remove from heat and stir in turmeric and cayenne. Season with salt; let cool.
10 min
2.
Mix shallot, raisins, cilantro stems, lime juice, and oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
5 min
3.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook onions and garlic, cut side down, and ginger, stirring onions and ginger occasionally, until onions are translucent and garlic is golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and 5 cups water, stirring to release any bits stuck on bottom of pot; season with several pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer; cover with a lid, leaving slightly askew so steam can escape. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and skimming foam from surface as needed, until chickpeas have swelled about 50 percent in size but are still crunchy, 25-30 minutes.
35 min
4.
Add coconut milk and lentils to pot; season with more salt. Return to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until chickpeas are tender and lentils have broken down to form a thick broth, 30-35 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Ladle dal into bowls and serve with toasted Mustard Seed and Turmeric Oil, Cilantro-Raisin Chutney, coconut, chiles, and/or cilantro as desired.
35 min
5.
Oil can be made 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Dal can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Ingredients

•¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

•2 Tbsp mustard seeds

•½ tsp ground turmeric

•⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

•1 to taste Kosher salt

•1 small shallot

•3 Tbsp golden raisins

•2 Tbsp cilantro stems

•1 Tbsp lime juice

•1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

•1 to taste Kosher salt and pepper

•3 Tbsp virgin coconut oil

•2 medium onions

•2 heads garlic

•1 3-inch piece ginger

•1 Tbsp curry powder

•½ tsp cayenne pepper

•1½ cups dried chickpeas

•2 13.5-oz cans unsweetened coconut milk

•1½ cups split red lentils

•¼ cup toasted coconut flakes

•2 to taste Fresno or serrano chiles

•¼ cup cilantro leaves

Cooking Instructions

Cook oil and mustard seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low, swirling often, until mustard seeds start to pop. Remove from heat and stir in turmeric and cayenne. Season with salt; let cool.

10 min

Mix shallot, raisins, cilantro stems, lime juice, and oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

5 min

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook onions and garlic, cut side down, and ginger, stirring onions and ginger occasionally, until onions are translucent and garlic is golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and 5 cups water, stirring to release any bits stuck on bottom of pot; season with several pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer; cover with a lid, leaving slightly askew so steam can escape. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and skimming foam from surface as needed, until chickpeas have swelled about 50 percent in size but are still crunchy, 25-30 minutes.

35 min

Add coconut milk and lentils to pot; season with more salt. Return to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until chickpeas are tender and lentils have broken down to form a thick broth, 30-35 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Ladle dal into bowls and serve with toasted Mustard Seed and Turmeric Oil, Cilantro-Raisin Chutney, coconut, chiles, and/or cilantro as desired.

35 min

Oil can be made 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Dal can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.