Cauliflower Lentil Dal

If you asked me about my favorite kind of cuisine I’d probably say that I love them all – as long as they are vegan, of course! I just enjoy the whole variety of different flavors, textures, and ingredients, but one thing is for sure: I cook a lot of Indian curries and dals. So yes, Indian food with all its aromatic spices and exotic flavors is definitely one of my kitchen favorites, especially when it comes in form of a delicious, creamy one-pot-meal like this flavorful cauliflower lentil dal.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 lb (900 g) red skin potatoes, cubed (I cut each into 8 pieces)
• 1 cup (200 g) green lentils, checked for little rocks and washed
• spices
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper (or more, if you like it spicy)
  • 3 pieces star anise
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 lb (230 g) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh turmeric, minced
• 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, minced
• 3 1/2 oz (100 g) dried dates, diced
• 2 tsp Celtic sea salt, more to taste
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups (360 – 480 ml) vegetable broth (start with 1 1/2 cups, you can add more later, if necessary)
• two 13.66 fl oz (400 ml) cans full fat coconut milk
• 1 good size head cauliflower, stem removed, cut into florets
• 1/2 lb (230 g) baby spinach
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup (60 – 120 ml) unsweetened, plain vegan yogurt (I used 1/2 cup homemade plant based yogurt)
• fresh cilantro, minced

Preparation:

Wash and cut vegetables. Line up your ingredients.

Preheat a large pot on medium heat. Add olive oil with diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes and sauté for another 10 minutes while stirring frequently.

Turn up heat and add lentils, spices, tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, dates, Celtic sea salt, vegetable broth, and coconut milk. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom.

Add cauliflower florets, stir well, and cook for another 20 minutes until lentils and cauliflower are soft. If you prefer your cauliflower to still have some bite, just add it 5 minutes later.

You can add the remaining vegetable broth at any point, if necessary.

When lentils and cauliflower are perfectly tender, add the baby spinach, stir it under, and only cook until just wilted, about 2 – 3 minutes. This way it will keep its fresh green color. Season to taste.

Turn off heat and stir in about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of vegan yogurt. Plain, unsweetened vegan yogurts vary in tartness, so start with less and increase the amount to taste. I use my homemade version which is very creamy and has just the right tartness. Serve remaining yogurt on the side.

Top with lots of fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Notes:

• This dal goes very well with homemade naan bread. You can find the recipe here.