Vegan lentil dal with spinach

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 200 g lentils, red
• 1 large onion(s)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ½ red chili pepper(s)
• 2 tbsp oil for frying
• 1 tbsp curry paste, red or yellow
• 1 can of coconut milk, approx. 400 g
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, black, freshly ground
• 125 g baby spinach

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 35 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes

a simple winter dish

Wash the lentils in a fine sieve, cover with water in a bowl, and soak for 30 minutes. Peel the onion and garlic. Slice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Remove the seeds and membranes from the chili pepper and finely chop them. Heat the oil in a large pot or deep frying pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, and chili for about 3 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic. Stir in the curry paste, add the coconut milk and vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Then season the dish with salt. Drain the lentils through a sieve and add them to the pot. Add the baby spinach. Cook the dal until the lentils are soft and creamy. This takes about 25 to 30 minutes over medium heat. Add more salt and freshly ground pepper to the dish if desired. I served it with purple jasberry rice from Thailand, which went perfectly with it. Jasmine rice, brown rice, basmati rice, spelt bulgur, or couscous also taste wonderful with this dish. Instead of red curry paste, you can also use yellow or green curry paste, if you like.