As a Sri Lankan, the first dish you learn after you master the art of cooking rice over the stovetop is Dhal curry.

This is exactly how I make it every week in my kitchen. Watch before you cook for the best results.

Scroll down for the full written recipe with ingredient tips, serving suggestions and my time-saving trick for busy days.

Also known as”parippu curry” in Sinhalese, this Sri Lankan dhal recipe is a popular, regular vegetarian side dish in most homes and restaurants.
This vegetarian and vegan curry is also one of the easiest comfort foods you can cook in under 30 minutes. Some of us (including me) have no problem eating it every day.
It’s mildly spiced and creamy, which most non-spicy food lovers would love (even kids)!

Why Sri Lankan Dhal Curry is a staple dish.

It’s quick, simple, and versatile.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but I’m sometimes amazed at how different the cooked red lentils taste depending on who is cooking the dhal recipe.
Some like the dhal curry(parippu) spicy with loads of tempering, and some like it light and milder and heavy on the coconut milk.
It’s also a great beginner’s introduction to Sri Lankan cuisine.

A quick Sri Lankan menu for Dhal curry.

When you’ve spent the morning on errands, or you’ve just had a full day of chores to finish around the house, and you need to make a meal for the kids who’ll be home in an hour.
This is it.
Dhal, rice (in the rice cooker, of course), and a chicken curry complete the menu for lunch.

Utensils and appliances needed.

• Chopping board and knife.
• Flat plate to hold the chopped onions, garlic, and curry leaves.
• Medium bowl to hold the coconut milk.
• Medium-sized bowl or cooking pan to wash the masoor dhal.
• Small frying pan to temper the onions, garlic, curry leaves, etc…
• Medium- sized cooking pan and wooden spoon.
• Serving bowl.

Ingredients to make the dhal curry recipe.

The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

Tempering ingredients.

• 3 tablespoons of Oil.
  • Use coconut oil for a more authentic Sri Lankan flavour, or vegetable oil.
• A sprig of curry leaves.
  • A sprig means there will be about 10 leaves on it. Wash thoroughly before using the curry leaves.
  • When tempered in oil, the curry leaves infuse the tempering oil with the unmistakable aroma and flavour.
  • You can substitute with dried curry leaves, but I would recommend fresh if you can find it.
  • You can usually find these in Asian stores, or if you have a Sri Lankan neighbour, they might have a bush growing in their garden.
  • You will use half for tempering and to cook the Dhal curry.
  • When adding wet curry leaves to hot oil, as they splutter and may cause the oil to spray, please be careful.
• 4 pods of Garlic.
  • Chop or slice the garlic thinly. You will be using these for the tempering and cooking of the dhal curry.
  • Cut or chop evenly, as garlic and onions will need to be tempered evenly.
• 1 Large onion, 2 medium onions or 5 small shallots.
  • Use medium or large onions or shallots, which give a sweeter flavour for tempering.
  • Slice thin or chop the onions.
  • The tempered onions should be golden in colour.
• 1 teaspoon of Turmeric powder.
  • A tiny amount goes a long way. Turmeric powder in the tempering and cooking gives its golden colour and earthy flavour.
  • The turmeric powder also has health benefits.
  • We will be using half of the teaspoon for tempering and cooking the dhal curry.
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds.
  • The mustard seeds will be used only for the tempering.
  • Wait until they splutter and pop in hot oil.
  • Be cautious not to overcook the mustard seeds, as it will turn the dhal curry bitter.
  • To avoid this, I would constantly move the mustard seeds once it is added, and I would also add them last to control the tempering.
• 1 teaspoon of red chilli flakes or 2 whole dried red chillies.
  • Either of these will work. I use what is available to me at home.
  • The red chilli flakes add a deep colour to the tempering.
  • You have to be careful with the red chilli flakes; if you burn the chillies, the dhal curry will again turn bitter.
  • If you have kids in the house and need a milder dhal curry, reduce the red chilli to half a teaspoon.

To cook the Dhal curry.

• 1 cup of red lentils(also known as masoor dhal or parippu in Sinhalese).
  • Wash the dhal in running water until the water runs clear. This would be about 3 times.
  • I usually like to let the washed red lentils soak while I prepare the tempering, for less than 15 minutes.
  • This would soften the dhal and reduce the cooking time.
• 1/2 to one cup of water.
  • I am constantly asked this question in the comment section, as many readers find that half a cup of water is not enough.
  • This could be due to different brands of red lentils absorbing water at different rates, or to using high heat, which evaporates the water before the lentils can be cooked.
  • If you find the water is not adequate, then simply add another half a cup of water or enough water to cook the dhal through.
• 1/2 a cup of coconut milk.
  • You can use fresh coconut milk, powdered coconut milk diluted in 1/2 a cup of water. All three work well.
  • If the canned milk is thick, dilute it with 1/2 a cup of water as well.
  • Avoid using thin coconut milk.
• 1 or 2 green chillies, split in the middle.
  • Adds slight heat while the lentils cook.
  • You can remove the green chillies if you prefer to keep the dhal curry mild.
• Salt seasoning.
  • Start with 1/2 a teaspoon, taste and continue to add as needed.
  • Add at the end.

How to cook the Sri Lankan dhal curry. Step-by-step.

Tempering

Cut the large onion and garlic into thin slices.
Add three tablespoons of oil to a pan, including the curry leaves, sliced garlic, onions, and turmeric powder.
Leave it to cook until the onions turn translucent over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Reduce the heat and add the red chilli flakes or the whole dried red chillies.
Once the onions turn golden brown, add the mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes over low heat.
Remove the tempered ingredients from the heat and transfer them to a separate dish.

Wash the lentils thoroughly.
Turn in the washed lentils to the pan you used for tempering(saves washing).
Pour in the water(pour in the water 1/2 a cup; increase to 1 cup if you find that the amount of water suggested is not adequate to cook the dhal at this stage).
Add a pinch of turmeric and a few slices of onions, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.

Over medium heat, let the dhal cook until the water evaporates.
When the lentils are cooked, gradually add the coconut milk(1/2 cup)and let it simmer on low fire.
When dhal curry reaches a savoury porridge-like consistency, taste and season with salt. 
Finally, add the tempered onions to the curry and mix.
If you are serving guests, keep a bit of tempering.

Once you add the dhal curry to a serving bowl, top the lentils/dal with the remaining tempering for a true Sri Lankan presentation. Serve warm with rice and curry.

My time-saving tip for cooking dhal curry in a hurry.

Sometimes I cheat…
As I’ve mentioned earlier, we all have a busy schedule, and sometimes doing the smallest thing takes the longest.
Here’s what I do to make the whole cooking process a bit quicker: when I’m making the dhal curry for my family, I usually do the tempering as follows.
Instead of removing it to a separate bowl, I take a spoonful of the tempering ingredients and set it aside.
Then, to the pan with the remaining tempering ingredients, I add the red lentils and water.
Cook as per normal dhal curry recipe instructions and add a spoonful of tempering to the cooked dhal curry at the end. 

Storage, reheating and freezing.

Storing.
Once cooled, refrigerate. Use a glass container with a lid or an old plastic container, as the turmeric will stain the plastic. Use within 2 days.
Freezing.
If you’ve already added the coconut milk, you can freeze it for 2-3 days and use it for another meal.
If you find that you’ve cooked too much dhal, what you can do is,
Before you add the coconut milk, save a portion of the cooked dhal and freeze it.
When you want to use this portion, bring it to room temperature, cook on low fire for 3 minutes and add coconut milk and tempering. 
The dhal can be frozen for 2 weeks(without coconut milk).
Reheating.
Leave out to reach room temperature, microwave for 2 minutes, or warm over the stovetop for 2-3 minutes.
Stop food waste by
Cooking dhal curry can be quite economical for any large family or gathering if you are on a budget. 
A little dhal curry cooked in coconut milk can go a long way.

Side dishes for Dhal (parippu)curry.

Even if you are not cooking a Sri Lankan feast, you can add dhal(parippu) to almost any meal.

It’s versatile and complements any type of dish you serve.

• Main dishes(carbs)to serve with dhal.
  • Sri Lankan Yellow Rice(turmeric rice)
  • Sri Lankan pol roti(coconut roti, flatbread).
  • How to make Sri Lankan paratha (godamba)roti.
  • How to make Sri Lankan egg roti/paratha.
• Other vegetarian side dishes to pair with parippu curry.
  • Sri Lankan spicy Dry Potato curry(ala theldala)
  • Sri Lankan spicy ash plantain(green banana)curry
  • Sri Lankan spicy potato, green bean stir-fry.
  • Sri Lankan chilli leeks fry(sauteed leeks)
• Mallums, sambol, salads that pair well with dhal curry.
  • Sri Lankan pol sambol(Coconut Sambol).
  • gotu kola(pennywort salad)sambol.
  • Carrot salad with parsley and onion.
  • Bitter gourd fry(Sri Lankan karawila sambol)
• Meat and meatless dishes to serve with dhal curry.
  • Sri Lankan chicken curry.
  • Slow-cooked beef curry(like my grandmother makes).
  • Sri Lankan red chilli fish curry(Thalapath malu mirisata).
  • How to cook a Sri Lankan-vegetarian soya meat curry.
  • Soya meat Sri Lankan devil curry(vegetarian, vegan).

FAQ: About the dhal curry recipe.

• Reader question.
  • So confused about the 1/2 cup of water to cook 1 cup of lentils. This takes at least 2 cups to rehydrate and cook the lentils, not including the coconut milk!
  • My answer.
    • This red lentil, also known as Mysore dhal, does not need to be rehydrated. It takes less than 20 minutes to cook.
      It does NOT need 2 cups of water. The 1/2 cup of water is to cook it partially, and there is coconut milk mentioned and used. You can add more coconut milk(not more than an extra 1/2 cup)if you need more dhal gravy.
      I have also attached the video to show how the dhal is cooked. Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is anything else I can clarify in this recipe.

• How much tempering ingredients should you use for the dhal recipe?
  • The recipe instructions given below give you the standard amount of ingredients for tempering.
  • But for any special events where you want the dhal curry to be served, you can increase the amount of tempering ingredients to give the dhal curry a rich flavour.

• What type of lentil is used to make the vegetarian dhal/dal curry?
  • You will be using masoor dhal/dal or red lentils for this recipe.
  • Most lentils will need a certain amount of hours of soaking, but masoor dhal is quick to cook. 
  • This makes it easy to cook this popular Sri Lankan recipe in under 30 minutes.

More Dhal recipes

• Indian dal tadka.
• 30-minute-tempered lentils with spinach.
• Spicy Sri Lankan chilli dhal fry(vegan, vegetarian).
• Red lentil-ground beef chilli

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