PopotamRecipes
Open the app
small price, big dish

Red lentil and sweet potato dal with coconut milk

An everyday dish for 2, ready in 35 minutes, around $1.71 a serving. People actually plan it with Popotam, and it's in season in October.

35mintotal
≈ $1.71a serving
655kcalper serving
28gof protein
VegetarianIn season in OctoberFreezes well
Let's cook
Red lentil and sweet potato dal with coconut milk, a serving idea
AI-generated image · Serving idea
Add to my week

Step-by-step recipe

check things off as you go

  1. Prep the vegetables

    Peel the sweet potatoes (0.4 kg) and cut them into 2 cm cubes. Slice the onion, then chop the garlic and ginger (10 g) very finely.

  2. Rinse the lentils

    Rinse the 160 g of red lentils under cold water until it runs almost clear, then drain.

  3. Sauté the aromatics

    In the large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4 min, stirring, then add the garlic and ginger.

  4. Toast the curry powder

    Add the teaspoon of curry powder and stir for 30 seconds so it releases its aroma without burning.

  5. Add the sweet potatoes and lentils

    Add the sweet potatoes and lentils to the saucepan, stir well, then pour in 60 cl of water.

    Tip · Lentils soak up a lot of water. If the dal gets too thick before it's done, add a little hot water, half a glass at a time.

  6. Simmer, covered

    Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat down to low. Let it cook for 20 min, stirring now and then, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the lentils are soft.

    Tip · Stir regularly, scraping the bottom of the saucepan: red lentils stick easily. Mash a few pieces of sweet potato against the side for a creamier dal.

  7. Add the coconut milk

    Pour in the 16 cl of coconut milk, stir and let it heat for 3 min over low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  8. Chop and serve

    Chop the cilantro and stir half of it into the dal. Serve in shallow bowls and sprinkle with the rest of the cilantro.

And there you go, it's readyCheck off every step to celebrate.

The questions you're asking

short answers, numbers you can check

How many calories in a serving?

One serving has about 655 kcal. 47% comes from carbs, 17% from protein and 30% from fat.

77 gCarbs
28 gProtein
22 gFat
Per serving (the dish for 2, divided by 2)
Energy655 kcal
Protein27.8 g
Carbs76.8 g
of which sugars13.5 g
Fat21.7 g
of which saturated fat14.6 g
Fiber20.5 g
Salt0.4 g

Worked out ingredient by ingredient with the ANSES Ciqual 2025 table, never written by an AI. It's an estimate: veggie sizes and brands make the numbers vary.

How much does it cost?

About $1.71 a serving, adding up the average prices of the ingredients you need to buy.

≈ $3.43for 2 people
≈ $1.71a serving

Pantry salt, oil and spices aren't counted. Your store and your brands will move the total, but the ballpark is right.

How long does it keep?

2 days in the fridge, in a closed container, once cooled within two hours. And it freezes really well.

2 daysin the fridge
Very wellin the freezer, thaw it in the fridge the day before

Times Popotam uses for meal prep, based on ANSES guidance, rounded down. The details: how long cooked dishes keep.

and the rest of the week?

Popotam plans your whole week

Lunch and dinner, with dishes like this one, based on your tastes, your time and your budget. The grocery list is sorted by aisle. Free, no account.

Build my week

This dish is also an idea for…

Cheap meal ideas, under $2.50 a serving

With the same ingredients

red lentils, coconut milk, sweet potatoes…