Spring Green & Coconut Dal

Anyone who knows me, knows my mantra on green leafy veg, especially the humble Spring Green. Here’s a dish complemented by the king of greens and contributed by Riverford Organics Farmers.

Why is this recipe so good for you?

The sweet, tender leaves of a Spring Green only need the briefest of cooking, so retaining their colour and alongside their array of vitamins, minerals and plant nutrients. Green veg really are some of the most nutrient dense foods and can be used to jazz up many a dish, this Dal being no exception (try cabbage or spinach if greens not available). 

Any dish containing an aromatic selection of herbs and spices will also notch up the nutrient profile with its anti-inflammatory plant chemicals. 

Turmeric and ginger feature in our top anticancer foods (use fresh turmeric grated if you have it), plus onions and garlic too. 

It has also been found to decrease the expression of prostrate-specific antigen (PSA) and shrink prostate tumours – see our top foods list. 

Coconut contains healthy fats which can be assimilated easily in the body for a ready supply of energy.

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Spring Green & Coconut Dal Recipe

Serves: 4

Time to Create: 50 mins

GF, DF, V, Ve, NF, SS

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp Coconut oil 

2 Onions

3 Garlic cloves

8 cm Fresh ginger

2 Red chilli

2 tsp Black mustard seeds

½ tsp Ground turmeric

800ml Coconut milk (2 cans)

200g Yellow mung dal lentils (or Red lentils)

2 tsp Coriander seeds

2 tsp Cumin seeds

400g Spring Green/Spinach/Cabbage

Handful of Fresh coriander leaves 

1 Lime

Large pinch of Toasted coconut flakesPinch of Sea salt

COOKING STEPS

1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pan. 
2. Finely slice and add the onions and fry on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
3. Turn up the heat a little and add the finely chopped; garlic, ginger (also peeled), chilli, mustard seeds and turmeric. Stir for about 1 minute, until you hear the mustard seeds start to pop. 
4. Stir the coconut milk in the can then pour into the pan with the lentils and ground coriander and cumin. Fill the coconut milk can with water and add that too. Bring up to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. 
5. Add the spinach, stirring in small handfuls at a time, then cook for a further 5–10 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the spinach is wilted. Keep an eye on the liquid and add more water if needed. 
6. Season the dal with salt, stir in the fresh coriander and add a squeeze of lime juice to taste. 
7. Serve the dal sprinkled with toasted coconut and a few extra coriander leaves.

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Add a ‘tarka’, a spicy oil, to sprinkle on the top of the dal before serving for an extra kick of spice and chilli:

Gently heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a small pan then add 1 teaspoon each of black mustard seeds and cumin seeds, 1 finely sliced large garlic clove and a good pinch of chilli flakes and fry, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until the mustard seeds are popping.

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Per Serving
Calories	646
	% Daily Value *
Total Fat	24g (37%)
Saturated Fat	11g (55%)
Monounsaturated Fat	8g
Polyunsaturated Fat	18g
Trans Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg (0%)
Sodium	1044 mg (43%)
Potassium	3445 (98%)
Total Carbohydrate	85g (28%)
Dietary Fiber	17g (68%)
Sugars	18g
Protein	35g (70%)
Vitamin A	1134%
Vitamin C	253%
Calcium	165%

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Read more about Riverford Organics who specialise in seasonal and sustainable farming. Their recent zero waste campaign is a great insight into how you can invest your own money to support passionate growers like themselves who consider the environment in every step.

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