Vegan Dhansak Recipe

I love Dhansak and often make a chicken curry in that style with lentils. This easy vegan Dhansak recipe is my veggie twist on one of my favourite curry house dishes. It’s so simply made, and as most of the ingredients are usually in my fridge-freezer or store cupboard, it’s a great one to throw together at short notice too.

Surely this veggie dhansak recipe must be super healthy too, with all those pulses and vegetables? A great one to keep you free from colds and chills, hopefully. You could make this vegetable Dhansak for Veganuary, as a winter warmer – even if you’re more of a flexitarian than a vegan (like me).

To me, the best vegan recipes are curry ones – cooking with spices adds so much flavour to pulses and vegetables, which are a rather plain food otherwise. There is a long list of spices in this recipe for dhansak, because they are in my storecupboard and add extra depth to the flavour. Only the garam masala is truly essential. If you have some or all of the others, do add them; if none, add one extra tsp garam masala.

I don’t know if this is strictly an authentic Dhansak recipe – but it is quick and simple to make as well as healthy and cost-conscious. What’s not to love?

Serves 4

Vegan Dhansak recipe ingredients

• Olive oil, for frying
• Red onion, 1, chopped
• Vegetable stock cube or pot, 1
• Red lentils, dried, 200g
• Chopped tomatoes, 1 tin or carton
• Chickpeas, 1 tin, drained
• Tomato puree, 1 tbsp
• Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed
• Garam masala, 2 tsp
• Ginger, ground, a pinch
• Coriander, ground, 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds, 1 tsp
• Chilli flakes, a pinch
• Bay leaf, fresh or dried, 1
• Lemon juice, a squeeze
• Salt, a pinch
• Sugar, 1-2 tsp, to taste
• Button mushrooms, a few, sliced
• Frozen chopped spinach, 300g

Equipment

• Sharp knife
• Chopping board
• Kitchen scales
• Measuring spoons
• Saucepan
• Wooden spatula

How to make Vegan Dhansak

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until it has softened.
• Make up the stock pot or cube with boiling water as per pack directions.
• Add the stock and the other ingredients – except for the spinach – to the pan. Simmer gently for around 30 minutes.
• Add the spinach to the pan, then cook for about 10 minutes more, or until the lentils have softened. 
• You may need to add extra water as the curry cooks, as lentils do soak up a lot. So do keep an eye on it.

Serve with rice and/or Naan bread.

Related recipes:

• Indian style squash curry
• Chickpea & red kidney bean curry
• Lentil dal with paneer cheese
• Stovetop meatfree biryani
• Butter bean makhani

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