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Yellow Lentil Dal

A spiced yellow lentil dish with tomato and onion, served over rice. One of the cheapest filling meals you can make.

Total Cost $6.05
Per Serving $1.51
Prep 10 min
Cook 35 min
Servings 4
  • vegan
  • gluten-free
  • lentils
  • rice
  • high-fiber
  • very-low-cost
  • indian

Ingredients

  • 350 g dry red or yellow split lentils, rinsed $1.47
  • 1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes $2.00
  • 200 g dry basmati or long-grain rice $0.50
  • 1 large onion, diced $1.23
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced $0.32
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or 0.5 tsp ground) $0.15
  • 1 tsp ground cumin $0.05
  • 1 tsp turmeric $0.05
  • 0.5 tsp ground coriander $0.05
  • 0.5 tsp garam masala $0.07
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil $0.13
  • 750 mL water $0.00
  • to taste salt $0.03
  • Recipe total$6.05

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside.
  2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  3. Add onion and cook 5–6 minutes until golden.
  4. Add garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute.
  5. Add cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  6. Pour in the diced tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes darken slightly.
  7. Add the rinsed lentils and water. Stir to combine.
  8. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until lentils are completely soft and have mostly dissolved into a thick sauce.
  9. Stir in garam masala and salt. Adjust consistency with water if needed.
  10. Serve over rice.

Nutrition per Serving

Estimated values per serving.

553 Calories
25g Protein
93g Carbs
8g Fat
14g Fiber
300mg Sodium
~30% DV Iron~15% DV Vitamin C

Gluten-Free

This recipe is naturally gluten-free.

All ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Check spice blends like garam masala for wheat-based anti-caking agents if using a pre-mixed product.

Budget Notes

  • Red split lentils and yellow split lentils are interchangeable here. Buy whichever is cheaper.
  • Buy lentils from South Asian or bulk grocery stores — per-kilogram price is substantially lower than supermarket bags.
  • Serve with a flatbread if available. Plain flour tortillas heated in a dry pan work fine.
  • A squeeze of lemon over each bowl brightens the whole dish. Omit if unavailable.