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meat-free, full of flavor

Red lentil dal with coconut milk and spinach

An everyday dish for 2, ready in 25 minutes, around $2.43 a serving. People actually plan it with Popotam, and it's in season in October.

25mintotal
≈ $2.43a serving
780kcalper serving
30gof protein
VegetarianIn season in OctoberFreezes well
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Red lentil dal with coconut milk and spinach, a serving idea
AI-generated image · Serving idea
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Step-by-step recipe

check things off as you go

  1. Rinse the red lentils

    Put the 160 g of red lentils in the colander and rinse under cold water until it runs almost clear. Drain well.

  2. Chop the onion and garlic

    Peel the onion and cut it into small dice. Peel the 2 garlic cloves and chop them finely.

  3. Sauté the onion

    Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring, until translucent.

    Tip · Keep the heat at medium and stir often, the onion should turn translucent without browning, or the dal will taste bitter.

  4. Add the garlic and curry powder

    Add the garlic and 1 tsp of curry powder to the saucepan. Stir for 30 seconds without letting it burn.

  5. Cook the lentils

    Add the rinsed lentils to the saucepan with the onion, garlic and curry. Pour in the 40 cl of coconut milk and 20 cl of water, bring to a simmer, then let it bubble gently over low heat, stirring now and then.

    Tip · Stir regularly and scrape the bottom, red lentils break down and stick fast. They're done when they turn into a thick mash.

  6. Add the spinach

    Add the 200 g of fresh spinach a handful at a time, stirring. Let it wilt for 2 to 3 minutes until soft.

  7. Season and serve

    Taste, then add salt and pepper to your liking. If the dal is too thick, add a little hot water and serve right away.

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 780 kcal. 26% comes from carbs, 15% from protein and 54% from fat.

52 gCarbs
30 gProtein
46 gFat
Per serving (the dish for 2, divided by 2)
Energy780 kcal
Protein29.7 g
Carbs51.6 g
of which sugars9 g
Fat46.4 g
of which saturated fat35.3 g
Fiber18.1 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 $2.43 a serving, adding up the average prices of the ingredients you need to buy.

≈ $4.86for 2 people
≈ $2.43a 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.

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With the same ingredients

red lentils, coconut milk, fresh spinach…