Coconut Dahl Recipe with Homemade Naans

Chickpea dhal with naans

Name: Chickpea dhal with naans
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 8
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: sunflower oil; 2 large onions chopped; 50g ginger peeled and grated; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp nigella seeds plus more for the naans; 1 tbsp medium curry powder; 1 tsp turmeric; 300g red split lentils; 500 chana dhal (dried split chickpeas) 500g; 2 x 400g tins coconut milk; 7g fast-action dried yeast; 100g natural yogurt; 500g strong white bread flour plus more for dusting; 1½ tsp fine salt; clarified butter or ghee

Published: January 8, 2016 at 3:29 PM

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Serves 8

Easy

Total time: 2 hrs and 30 mins

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Make a batch of this vegetarian chickpea and red lentil dhal with naans and freeze for later. Plus instructions on how to make the dhal in a slow cooker

Vegetarian

Skip to ingredients

Alternatives

Complete the dish

Try this slow cooker dhal then check out our tarka dhal, slow cooker dahl, coconut dhal with crispy paneer, vegan dhal and black dhal with paneer-stuffed naan.

Looking for more vegetarian Indian recipes? Try our aloo gobi mattar, saag aloo, saag chana masala and mutter paneer.

How to make chickpea dhal in a slow cooker

Energy-efficient and reliable, a slow cooker is the must-have appliance for batch cooking. Read our tried-and-tested reviews of the best slow cookers.

Put all the dhal ingredients and 800ml water in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 3.5 - 4 hours until the lentils are tender. Serve.

Chickpea dhal recipe

Ingredients

Nutrition

sunflower oil
2 large onions

chopped
50g ginger

peeled and grated
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp nigella seeds

plus more for the naans
1 tbsp medium curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
300g red split lentils
500 chana dhal

(dried split chickpeas) 500g
2 x 400g tins coconut milk

NAANS

7g fast-action dried yeast
100g natural yogurt
500g strong white bread flour

plus more for dusting
1½ tsp fine salt
clarified butter or ghee

Nutrition: per serving

kcal859
fat30.5g
saturates19.2g
carbs107.9g
fibre5.4g
protein35.5g
salt1.2g

Method

step 1

To make the naans, mix the yeast and yogurt with 250ml warm water. Put the flour and salt in a bowl and gradually stir in the yeast mixture until it comes together as a dough. Tip out onto the worksurface and knead for 10 minutes, or 5 minutes in a mixer with the dough hook, until smooth. Put into a clean bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave for 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
step 2

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan, and fry the onion and ginger until really soft. Stir in the spices, cook for 1 minute then add the lentils and chana dhal. Add the coconut milk, 800ml water and some seasoning. Bring to a simmer, turn down to a low heat and cook for 1½ hours, covered, stirring gently every so often, adding more water if needed. To freeze, cool the dhal completely, tip into containers and put in the freezer.
step 3

When the dough is ready, knead it briefly on a lightly floured worksurface. Cut into 8 pieces and roll each one out to an oval until they no longer spring back. Lay onto oiled baking sheets, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave for 30 minutes until puffy.
step 4

Heat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Heat another baking sheet in the oven. Transfer the naans, two at a time, onto the hot baking sheet. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the dough starts to bubble and the bottom looks golden. Press them gently back down if they’ve domed too much. Cool under a clean tea towel, then individually wrap in foil and freeze.
step 5

To reheat, defrost the dhal in the fridge overnight, and leave the naans on the worksurface to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Put the dhal into a pan with a splash of water, bring to a simmer and cook until piping hot. Put the naans on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little water and reheat in the oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through. Brush the naans with clarified butter or ghee, and scatter over some nigella seeds to serve.

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