I’ve been making variations on this sweet potato dal forever. The core never really changes — red lentils, sweet potato, ginger, turmeric, black mustard seeds, and a finishing squeeze of lime. It comes together in about 45 minutes on the stove and the coconut-sautéed leeks on top are what make it feel special. Lots of readers have mentioned that their young children love it also! Serve it over rice or with flatbread and pair it with my no-knead whole wheat bread for a really satisfying meal.
The spice base cooked in hot oil is the foundation. Coconut oil, coriander, black mustard seeds, and chili flakes go into a hot pot and cook until the mustard seeds start to pop. That’s your signal to add everything else. The lentils break down and thicken the dal while the sweet potato holds its shape just enough to give the bowl some texture. The ginger and fresh turmeric do the rest–a little spice and a pretty golden color.
The coconut leeks are a fancy little extra step, but they’re SO good. A generous pour of coconut oil, julienned leeks, a pinch of salt, and a squeeze of lime. It becomes soft, fragrant, and slightly sweet. The coconut oil left in the pan gets drizzled over the top of each bowl too. Definitely don’t skip that part!
This is one of those recipes that tastes just as good the next day. A can of full-fat coconut milk stirred in adds extra richness if you want something more substantial.
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Ginger Sweet Potato Dal with Coconut Leeks
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Dal
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
- pinch chili flakes, or to taste
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and small diced
- 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
- 1-inch piece fresh turmeric (or substitute ¾ teaspoon dried turmeric powder)
- 3 ½ cups water, plus extra if necessary
- salt, to taste
Coconut Leeks
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
- 1 medium leek, white and light green part julienned
- squeeze lime juice
- pinch salt
To Serve
- cooked warm rice
- bread
- chopped parsley, cilantro or mint (or a combination)
- black sesame seeds, for garnish
Notes
- Every recipe I’ve read for dal tells you to add the salt at a different time (to avoid toughness or the lentils breaking down too soon etc). I add a solid pinch at the beginning when I pour the water and then adjust it at the end to my liking.
- No need to soak red lentils before cooking — they break down quickly on their own. A quick rinse is all they need.
- Vegetable stock can be used in place of water for a more savory, deeper-flavored dal.
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium heat. Heat up the coconut oil in the pot and add the ground coriander, mustard seeds and chili flakes. Stir about until the mustard seeds start to pop just a little bit.
- Add the lentils, diced sweet potato, ginger, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Stir the whole mixture to combine/coat in oil. Add the filtered water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the mixture is creamy and soupy, stirring occasionally. The sweet potato pieces should still be intact with a tiny bit of bite. The lentils will be broken down, filling out the mixture, about 25 minutes or so. Add more water if you need to. Keep it warm while you sauté the leeks.
- Heat the coconut oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the leeks to the pan and sauté until leeks are soft and very fragrant. Season with salt. Add a squeeze of lime if you like. Remove from the heat.
- To serve: divide the hot dal over 4 portions of rice. Top the dal with sautéed leeks and a few dribbles of the coconut oil left in the pan. Garnish each serving with the chopped herbs and black sesame seeds.
Just made this for my two kiddos and myself for lunch. SO easy and SO good! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. I’m of south Asian descent – this recipe does a great job at including authentic flavors while making the dish “accessible” to those who may not be keen on strong spices in their dishes. I love your site and your recipes… never disappointed!
I know it’s nearly summer and this is a winter warmer dish. However after reading it, I just couldn’t resist. My gosh, was I in a lovely surprise… this scrumptious meal was easy to cook and most definitely got my taste buds rocking. Perfect for a satvic diet (or any for that matter) and perfect with a side of mango chutney. Just beautiful, thank you ever so much. X
A little late on this one but so so good. Love the leeks with this dish. I used a kabocha squash instead of sweet potato and it worked great!
I’ve been looking for new recipes as we’re stuck at home during this coronavirus lock down, and this recipe looks amazing. I’m planning to make it tonight. If it turns out half as good as yours looks, I’ll be happy :) Thanks for the share!
Hello,
Can I switch water to vegetable broth ?
Thanks
France
Yes, you can substitute water for vegetable broth here!
-L
My 9 year old son said – ‘mum, this is hellishly good.’ That’s the best review i’ve ever had for a meal i’ve cooked for him, so i am massively chuffed. Look foward to more successes.
thanks!
Sarah
Just made this for dinner. I’m in heaven. Just heaven.
I made this over the weekend for the week and ate it tonight with forbidden rice. In a word? Yummy, Amazing, Fantastic, Heavenly–take your pick! I can’t wait for the other servings and i will definitely be making this again!
What is served in the bowl alongside of the dal and rice? It looks like cherries, cranberries, walnuts? Whatever it is, it looks delicious!
Hey Gabrielle,
I think you might be referring to the actual rice! I use the black rice from lundberg and when it’s cooked up, it looks all glossy and dark like dried fruit almost!
-L
Thank you!
Been wanting to make this for a while now, and just finished my second bowlful. It is. so. good. Followed pretty much verbatim except for my choice in rice; used basmati. Fantastically easy and cheap, it will definitely be in frequent rotation. My almost 4 year old wolfed it down like nobody’s business. Thank you for sharing!
can’t stop making this… so good… so, so good. added a can of full fat coconut milk. again, still really good.
I’ve made this twice now and it’s phenomenal. So easy to put together and honestly one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. Thanks so much!
this is such an awesome cheap, easy & nutritious weeknight meal! making it for the 2nd time tonight. rock on Laura!
Great recipe again. Just wondering if it’s OK to freeze and how long it would keep?
Hi Jim, you could definitely freeze this. When I freeze soup/stew of any kind, I always aim to eat it within 2-ish months.
-L
Do you have to soak the lentils beforehand??
Hi Izzy, If you’re using red lentils you don’t need to soak them. A little rinse never hurt, but they cook up so fast that a soak isn’t necessary–definitely one of the reasons I like them so much :)
-L
FYI: you can make this with or without the garam masala. We made it once while looking at the recipe on our tablet (and so it’s not listed on the ingredients list there). And when we made it again I had printed it, and it’s in those instructions.
Both ways were very tasty!
This recipe is so perfect for a cold Chicago night. I have to thank you for opening up this former “obligate carnivore” to a world of inspiring and simple vegan dishes. I used the green lentils I had on hand, and tossed the leeks with a little quinoa flour and deglazed the pan with a bit of coconut milk to enhance the coconut flavor. It’s perfectly warming and delicious, thank you!
Made this a few nights ago – simple and delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Love this recipe! I need another week night meal to add to my list + the idea of sweet potatoes + coconut oil sounds delicious to me. Thanks for sharing :)
this was amazing. i just made it. it is exactly my style of meal. you’re great and i will be back again and again for more of your words and combos. thank you for dinner. :)
I made this for dinner tonight :) Exactly what I wanted! Bonus – picked up some naan from the indian restaurant to make it even more comforting for this freezing cold night! Thanks!!!
Made this tonight and I licked the bowl clean. Don’t be afraid to try this- it’s officially a weeknight regular on my meal planner. This dish is good for the soul. Thank you!
This plate is sunshine in a winter and grey day! Sweet potatoes are not so common here in Italy, but luckily they are almost alway present in my organic food store…and I love them so much!