recipe – golden dal

food for the soul

This is probably one of of my favourite dal’s I’ve had. It’s spiced to perfection, warming and knowing that it’s nourishing you just feel really good eating it. Even better afterwards too!

Olivia and I came together to create a Golden Dal recipe for our friends at Lucy Folk. We celebrated the launch of their new diamonds. Olivia brings her naturopathic wisdom, and I bring my Indian roots. Dal varies from region to region in India, making it a very personal dish. It’s the bread and butter of almost every Indian household, typically served as a side with most meals. This dal is nourishing from the inside out - we hope you love it!

We went heavier on the ghee because who doesn’t love butter, it may be the reason why this dal tastes extra good. In Ayurveda, ghee is considered deeply nourishing for the body and mind -it builds vitality, supports digestion, and carries nutrients deep into the tissues. Unlike butter, it’s lighter, easier to digest, and balances all three doshas, making it a staple for both cooking and healing.

Olivia’s golden ghee!!

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons ghee

• 4–5 curry leaves

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

• 1 cup dried red lentils

• 1 cup chicken broth

• ½ cup water

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk

• Salt, to taste

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• Juice of half a lemon

Garnish

• lime

• coriander

• red chilli

Method
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, warm the ghee over a medium heat. Loosely crush the spices in a mortar and pestle until fragrant.

Once the pot is hot, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, ginger and garlic. Gently cook the spice mixture for 2–3 minutes, until fragrant - keeping a close eye so it doesn’t burn.

Add the washed lentils, water, coconut milk, broth, turmeric, salt and pepper to the pot, and stir to bring everything together. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and buttery.

Stir through the lemon juice and cook for another 5 minutes.

Ladle over basmati rice and garnish with a squeeze of lime, fresh chilli and coriander.

*Everything here is flexible: add more or less ghee, experiment with different spices, add 10 curry leaves, or play around with the liquid ratios - maybe more coconut milk or broth. Dress it up how you want and make it yours.