Parippu: Sri Lankan Coconut Dhal with Pandan & Curry Leaves

⏱ 30 min · Serves 4

The dish that anchors every Sri Lankan rice-and-curry spread — red lentils collapsed into sweet coconut milk, perfumed with rampe (pandan) and curry leaves, then hit with a sizzling temper of shallots, mustard seed and dried chilli. Twenty-five minutes to something deeply comforting.

Per serving: 412 kcal · 17.0g protein · 41.0g carbs · 20.0g fat

Ingredients

• 250g red split lentils (masoor dhal), rinsed until water runs clear
• 500ml water
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 small onion, finely sliced
• 2 green chillies, split lengthways
• 1 x 5cm piece pandan leaf (rampe), knotted
• 12 fresh curry leaves
• 1 tsp unroasted Sri Lankan curry powder (or 1/2 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp coriander, ground)
• 250ml full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• Squeeze of lime, to finish
• For the temper:
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 dried red chillies, broken
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Method

1. Put the rinsed lentils in a saucepan with the water, turmeric, onion, green chillies, knotted pandan leaf and 12 curry leaves. Bring to the boil, skimming off any foam.
2. Lower the heat, half-cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are soft and breaking down. Add a splash more water if it looks dry.
3. Stir in the curry powder, coconut milk and salt. Simmer gently for 5 minutes more — don't let it boil hard or the coconut milk may split. Mash lightly with the back of a spoon for a creamy, loose porridge texture.
4. Make the temper: heat the coconut oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the mustard and fenugreek seeds and wait for the mustard to pop, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the shallots, dried chillies, curry leaves and garlic. Fry, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until the shallots are golden and the leaves are crisp.
6. Pour the whole sizzling temper over the dhal (reserve a spoonful for the top). Stir most of it through, fish out the pandan knot, taste for salt and add a squeeze of lime.
7. Serve hot with rice, roti or bread, with the reserved temper spooned over.