Green Lentil Dahl With Pumpkin & Coconut Milk: Mild & Vegan

Green Lentil Dahl With Pumpkin And Coconut Milk.

A Mild, Creamy Vegan Dahl, And My Favourite Pumpkin And Lentil Recipe.

Soak The Lentils Overnight. The Final Simmer Takes 10 To 15 Minutes.

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Introduction to green lentil dahl

Green lentil dahl is a mild, creamy dish of cooked green lentils simmered with pumpkin puree, coconut milk, onion, a curry leaf, mustard seeds, cumin, garam masala and a mild curry powder. It’s vegan, and it works just as well with brown lentils. You soak the lentils overnight, boil them for about 30 minutes, and the final simmer takes 10 to 15 minutes.

It’s my favourite vegetable dahl. I was taught it in Bali, and I ate it as one of the many dishes at the Flametree Bali yoga retreat. For me, and for others on that retreat, it was one of the best pumpkin and lentil recipes we’d tried.

At most places I’ve eaten, I’ve been disappointed with dahl. It’s often so hot that I can’t enjoy its other flavours. So I was delighted with this one.

If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.

Green lentil dahl, ready to eat

Green lentil dahl with pumpkin and coconut milk, served with flat bread

My favourite vegetable dahl. You can make it with green or brown lentils.

Ingredients for green lentil dahl

Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dish.

The lentils and pumpkin

1 cup of dry green or brown lentils
1 cup of steamed pumpkin
1 cup of coconut milk

The flavour

1 red onion (or shallots)
A little oil, for frying
1 curry leaf, or 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1.5 teaspoons of cumin
1 teaspoon of garam masala
1 teaspoon of curry powder (a mild pre-mixed Malay curry powder)
1 teaspoon of coriander powder
Chilli, if you prefer it hotter
Salt and pepper, to taste

The ingredients for green lentil dahl

Ingredients for vegetable dahl, including lentils, pumpkin, coconut milk and spices

The ingredients for my favourite lentil dahl. I use organic coconut milk.

Green lentils, ready for the dahl

Dry green lentils ready to soak for green lentil dahl

Green lentils, ready to soak overnight for the dahl.

How to make green lentil dahl

Use these steps to make this green lentil dahl with pumpkin.

Step 1: Soak and cook the lentils

Soak the lentils overnight, in enough water to cover them.
Boil the lentils for about 30 minutes, until they’re soft but not mushy. Watch them closely.

Step 2: Make the pumpkin puree

Steam the raw pumpkin.
Blend it into a puree, with enough water to do so.
Mix in half a cup of the coconut milk.

Step 3: Fry the onion, lentils and seeds

Slice the onion and fry it in a little oil.
Add the curry leaf (or bay leaves), and keep frying until the onion is translucent.
Add half of the lentils, and fry them with the mustard seeds and cumin.

Step 4: Add the pumpkin and spices

Add the pumpkin puree, the garam masala and all the remaining spices.
Stir well, then add the rest of the lentils and the rest of the coconut milk.

Step 5: Simmer and serve

Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. It will thicken as it cooks.
Taste, and add salt and pepper.
Serve with salad, flat bread, or whatever you like.

Green lentil dahl with red rice

Veg dahl with red rice and salad on a plate

Green lentil dahl with red rice. Add whatever salad or other dish you like to your meal.

Is green lentil dahl vegan and gluten free?

This green lentil dahl is vegan. It’s made with lentils, pumpkin, coconut milk and spices, so there’s no dairy.

Lentils and pumpkin are naturally gluten free. Curry powders vary, though, so check the label if you need it strictly gluten free.

I love it with a gluten free flat bread that I make with chickpea flour. I’ll share that recipe another time.

Does dahl have to be spicy?

No. This one uses a mild curry powder, so you can taste all the other flavours of the dahl: the pumpkin, coconut milk, cumin and mustard seeds.

If you prefer it hotter, add some chilli.

Is it dahl, dal or dhal?

All of them. Dahl can also be spelt dal, daal or dhal.

The word is used for lentils themselves, and for curried lentil dishes like this one.

Green lentil dahl: quick questions answered

Do I need to soak green lentils for dahl?

For this recipe, yes. Soak them overnight in enough water to cover them, then boil them for about 30 minutes, until soft but not mushy.

Can I use brown lentils instead of green?

Yes. This dahl works with green or brown lentils.

What can I use instead of a curry leaf?

Use 2 bay leaves.

What do I serve with green lentil dahl?

Salad, flat bread, red rice, or whatever you like. I love it with a gluten free flat bread I make with chickpea flour.

Where did this green lentil dahl recipe come from?

I was taught it in Bali, where I ate it as one of the many dishes at the Flametree Bali retreat.

More Flametree dahl and curry recipes

Love a good dahl? Try my pumpkin dahl with chickpeas, my vegan black bean curry, or my eggplant chickpea curry.

Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?

Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me.

Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option.

Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.

Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat

By the way, there are several upcoming Flametree yoga retreats in Bali in 2027.

Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.

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Meanwhile, start or re-start yoga or meditation with one of the HALF price deals below, or check out the retreat deals.

Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.