Roast Beetroot Dal

Roast Beetroot Dal

We make this one on repeat, especially when we want something that feels a bit special but doesn't take forever. The roasted beetroot is the star here, it gets all caramelised and sweet in the oven while the dal bubbles away underneath, and when they come together it's just this gorgeous, earthy, warming bowlful. You get deep spice from the cumin and chilli, a little sweetness from the maple, and that beautiful jewel-red colour that makes it look like you've been cooking all day. Honestly, if you haven't tried beetroot in a dal before, this is going to be a bit of a revelation. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Blender
  • Large frying pan
  • Fine sieve or colander for rinsing lentils

Ingredients

  • 500g beetroot
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • pinch of chilli powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 150g coconut yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 200g red lentils
  • 1 400g tin of coconut milk
  • 350ml vegetable stock
  • 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp plant-based yoghurt
  • fresh coriander
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • Plant-based Naan bread or Roti

Method

1

Roast the beetroot

  • Slice the beetroot into wedges and place on the baking tray
  • Drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup, mustard, cumin, chilli powder and a pinch of salt and pepper
  • Roast for 30-35 minutes or until the beetroot is cooked through
2

Prep the ingredients

  • Peel, trim and finely dice the onion
  • Peel and mince the garlic and ginger
  • Deseed and finely chop the chilli
  • Rip the coriander leaves from the stems and finely chop, reserving the leaves to garnish later
  • Rinse the lentils until cold water until the water runs clear
3

Cook the dal

  • Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with the oil
  • Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 minutes until softened and starting to caramelise
  • Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stems cooking for 1 minute
  • Stir in the spices toasting until fragrant before adding the red lentils, coconut milk and vegetable stock
  • Bring to a simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the lentils are cooked through
4

Blend the beetroot

  • Once the beetroot has cooked, leave to cool for a few minutes
  • Transfer ⅓ of the beetroot to a blender with 200g of coconut yoghurt
  • Blend until you have a smooth creamy sauce - alternatively you can use a grater to grate the beetroot
  • Stir this through the dal and add the juice of the lime
  • Taste to season
5

Finish and serve

  • Serve the remaining beetroot on top of the dahl and drizzle with the remaining yoghurt
  • Finish with coriander leaves to serve

Tips & Variations

  • Nail the beetroot: Don't cut the wedges too thin or they'll dry out before they caramelise. Aim for chunky pieces, about 2-3cm thick, so you get soft centres and sticky edges.
  • Make it your own: Henry always stirs a spoonful of coconut yoghurt through his bowl at the end. It cools things down and adds a lovely creaminess that works really well with the spice.
  • Batch cook it: The dal base freezes brilliantly, so make a double portion and stash half in the freezer. Roast fresh beetroot when you're ready to eat and it tastes just as good.

Why This Works

The trick is roasting the beetroot separately rather than just chucking it in the pot. It concentrates the flavour and gives you those sticky, caramelised edges that you just don't get any other way. That little hit of maple and mustard in the roasting tray is something we stumbled on and now we'd never leave it out, it balances the earthiness of the beets perfectly and makes the whole dish sing.