A fragrant and tasty dahl made from yellow split peas, coconut cream, crushed tomatoes, ginger, garlic, garam masala, turmeric and honey. A filling vegetarian meal.
The call is often made for more vegetarian recipes on the website. I get it. There are so many great reasons to reduce your meat intake and while I'm not a vegetarian myself, I try to eat vegetarian meals every week. This Yellow Dahl ticks all the boxes. It it tasty, healthy, affordable and super easy to make!
On my website I also have a recipe for Multi Cooker Red Lentil Dahl. This includes instruction for a slow cooker as well as for the stovetop.
Jump to:
Ingredient notes:
- Yellow Split Peas: These are available from most major supermarkets and whole food shops. You could use green split peas or dried lentils as a substitute, just note lentils will take a little longer to cook.
- Spices: The spices in this recipe are the base of many curries on my website. They're worth investing in if you like making your own curries!
- Tomatoes: My preference for this dish is crushed and sieved tomatoes. Chopped or whole tomatoes can also be used - just break them up in the pan.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Place a large frying pan or casserole dish over a gentle heat. Add the olive oil and onion and gently sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Add the ginger and chilli, then stir everything together.
Add all of the spices and seasonings. Allow them to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Next add the honey, tomatoes, coconut cream and water and give it a good stir. Pour in the yellow split peas and stir again.
Cover, then simmer for 80 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Serve with steamed rice, roti, mango chutney, yoghurt and coriander.
Recipe FAQs:
Split peas are part of the legume family, but they are a different category to lentils. Split peas are made when the outside skin of the pea is removed, and the inside splits in half. They are excellent for making curries and soups.
It really depends on the child! I know my boys would find this curry too much, but if your children have been exposed to spicy food they will probably be ok. You could also leave the red chilli out if you want less of a kick.
Storage:
Store any leftover yellow dahl in an airtight container in the fridge for up to six days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.
Dahl can also be frozen. As soon as the curry has cooled to room temperature, store in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer for up three months. Defrost completely before reheating.
Top tips:
Did you know that rice can also be frozen? Simply allow the rice to cool to room temperature, then portion into snap lock bags. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible then seal and lay flat in the freezer for up to three months. It's important to get the rice in the freezer as soon as it has cooled - ideally within an hour of it being cooked.
Related Recipes:
Made this recipe?
Please click on the stars below to rate it or, write a review!
Yellow Dahl
A tasty dahl made on the stovetop using yellow split peas cooked in fragrant spices. Serve with steamed white rice and coriander.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp crushed ginger
- 1 tsp crushed red chilli
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 can crushed tomatoes (400g)
- 1 can coconut cream (400ml)
- 3 cups water
- 400g dried yellow split peas
To serve
- Roti
- Natural yoghurt
- Mango chutney
- Coriander
Instructions
- Place a large frying pan or casserole dish over a gentle heat. Add the olive oil and onion and gently sauté for 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the ginger and chilli, then stir everything together.
- Add all of the spices and seasonings. Allow them to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Next add the honey, tomatoes, coconut cream and water and give it a good stir. Pour in the yellow split peas and stir again.
- Cover then simmer for 80 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Serve with steamed rice, roti, mango chutney, yoghurt and coriander.
Notes
- If you want to make this recipe vegan swap the honey for sugar and serve with coconut yoghurt.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 283Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 1193mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 8gSugar: 11gProtein: 15g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
If you don't already follow me, head over to my Instagram or Facebook pages to keep up to date with all my new recipes.
Vanya
Caitlin
This Dahl was to die for!! I highly highly recommend giving it a go, and the leftovers are easily freezable for the next time you need an easy lunch at work or uni!
VJ cooks
Thank you so much for your feedback, Caitlin! Yes, dahl is underrated. Such a flavoursome, filling and affordable meal.
Jennifer
Hiya, I see you’ve used bought crushed ginger - if using fresh would you recommend using less?
VJ cooks
It comes down to personal preference, but yes, fresh ginger is stronger than jarred.