Energizing & Spicy Broccoli Dal

Do you ever read over a recipe and you say to yourself, there is no way that this can possibly taste good, but for some reason you just have to try it for yourself?

Yea, story of my life.

That is how the Green Monster happened, after all. [If you are curious to read ‘The story of the Green Monster’, see my post here.]

Anyways, I did not expect this Broccoli Dal would taste as good as it does. I came across this recipe in my Vegan Yum Yum Cookbook and I thought to myself, ‘How in the world could a broccoli soup taste good?’

I guess I still have broccoli issues that stem back to my childhood…

So of course, I made the soup. I’m really not afraid of Green things anymore.

Well, except Swiss Chard.

I’ve tried cooking chard many different ways and I still don’t ever see myself enjoying it. I’m still bitter over how many times we found Swiss Chard in our CSA box over the summer. If you ever find yourself in desperation to use up Swiss Chard that is stinking up your fridge, do not attempt to put Swiss Chard into a Green Monster. That’s all I’m going to say.

I still have nightmares of dirty gym socks.

Thankfully this soup is nothing like dirty gym socks. I was drawn to this soup because it has awesome cold-busting ingredients 1) Greens, 2) Indian spices. It will also clear your sinuses and flush out your body. Just trust me on this one!

Besides that, it tastes incredible.

The first time I made it, I followed the recipe to a tee and I loved it. The second time I made it, I had some new ideas and I changed some things around. I actually love it both ways. Today, I will share with you the adapted version…just have a tissue box ready when you eat it!

Energizing Broccoli Dal

Vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

★★★★★
5 from 6 reviews

Yield
5 cups (1250 mL)

Prep time
20 minutes

Cook time
25 minutes

Total time
45 minutes

This unique spin on dal packs in a ton of green broccoli power! You'll feel energized by this light, and incredibly flavourful dish. This recipe is inspired by the Vegan Yum Yum Cookbook by Lauren Ulm.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 to 5 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets (from 1 large head)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cups (500 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can light coconut milk
• 1 cup uncooked red lentils
• Fine sea salt, to taste (I used just over 1 teaspoon)
• 1 teaspoon garam masala spice mix (I love Arvinda's brand)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (22 to 30 mL) fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Paprika, to garnish
• Naan bread, for serving
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Add the oil into a large saucepan and increase the heat to low-medium so the oil can preheat.
2. Add the broccoli into a food processor and process until very finely chopped (about the size of rice grains).
3. Add the cumin and mustard seeds into the saucepan with the oil. The seeds should sizzle and begin popping in the oil right away. As soon as the seeds start to pop, cover the saucepan immediately with a lid, and remove the saucepan from the heat source. Let sit until the seeds stop popping, then remove the lid and stir.
4. Stir in the onion, and place the saucepan back over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes until the onion softens.
5. Now, add the finely chopped broccoli, broth, entire can of coconut milk, lentils, 1/2 teaspoon salt, garam masala, turmeric, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
6. Increase heat to high and bring to a low bowl. Reduce heat to medium, cover with lid, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Now remove the lid and stir, and continue simmering, uncovered, for another 10 minutes, until the lentils soften and the mixture thickens. Stir every now and then to make sure it doesn't stick.
7. Stir in the lemon juice to taste.
8. Ladle the dal into bowls and serve with naan bread or pita bread. Garnish with paprika and a lemon wedge, if desired.

Nutrition Information

(click to expand)

Serving Size 1 cup (250 mL) | Calories 300 calories | Total Fat 11 grams
Saturated Fat 4 grams | Sodium 500 milligrams | Total Carbohydrates 39 grams
Fiber 15 grams | Sugar 5 grams | Protein 13 grams

Nutrition information uses 1 teaspoon sea salt.
* Nutrition data is approximate and is for informational purposes only.

Add oil to a large saucepan over low-medium heat and add in the uncooked red lentils, chopped sweet onion, ground cumin, and mustard seeds.

Cook on low-medium heat for about 6-9 minutes until the mustard seeds start popping a bit and the onion is tender.

Be careful because the mustard seeds will POP!! One hit me in the eye! It was quite hilarious, but only after I realized that I would not go blind like I thought.

Now prep the broccoli. I shaved some stems and also used the florets. Roughly chop the broccoli to make about 4.5 cups packed.

Now add the chopped broccoli into a food processor and process until very fine.

Like so.

Add in the vegetable broth and broccoli into the saucepan.

Stir well. Cook this mixture, covered if preferred, for about 20 minutes over low-medium heat, checking it often. Add kosher salt to taste.

I added a bit of water as the soup got thick while cooking.

After 20 minutes, add in the milk, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala, red pepper flakes, and additional salt (to taste) if necessary.

Heat on low until the lentils are cooked through, about 7-10 more minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve with paprika and lemon wedges.

Prepare yourself for a spicy, incredibly delicious, creamy Broccoli soup with an Indian flare. Despite what I anticipated, the soup does not have a strong ‘broccoli’ taste at all. It is very mild and barely detectable.

Just have a tissue handy because this soup will flush out your system! I think it was the first time in a week that Eric could breathe through both nostrils…