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!
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Energizing Broccoli Dal
Yield
5 cups (1250 mL)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
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
- Add the oil into a large saucepan and increase the heat to low-medium so the oil can preheat.
- Add the broccoli into a food processor and process until very finely chopped (about the size of rice grains).
- 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.
- Stir in the onion, and place the saucepan back over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes until the onion softens.
- 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.
- 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.
- Stir in the lemon juice to taste.
- 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)
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…
Truly delicious. I have lived in Asia for 15 years and wa so lucky to visit India numerous times. This soup reminds me of the beautiful people and their food in India. I added some extra curry powder for more heat. Yummm. Thanks Angela
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it, Antonia! :)
I made this tonight – it’s the first recipe of yours I’ve tried and it worked out really well, so thank you, Angela! I have a naughty habit of tinkering with recipes and I added a can of corn kernels and a small diced eggplant. I also used 1 each of long green and red chillis instead of chilli flakes. Increased amounts of every thing else accordingly and it came out sooo tasty! So many freezer meals =)
Thanks for sharing those great additions you made, Melissa! I love experimenting in the kitchen, too, and it’s always so great to hear about the twists readers add to my recipes. :)
Great! I’ve been eating this with rice and samosas and it makes a wonderfully comforting meal! My body feels good after eating so thanks for this!
So happy to hear you (and your body!) are loving the dish, Hannah :) Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
A note for the chard haters:
Swiss chard contains oxalic acid, which has an unpleasant taste. If you boil it uncovered for three minutes to get rid of that acid, it tastes mild and a little bit sweet (especially the fat stems of the white-stemmed variety, which take an extra two minutes of boiling — but don’t overdo the boiling time or they lose flavor and the texture deteriorates). I got the instructions from The World’s Healthiest Foods website (although I eat it warm with just a bit of Smart Balance) here – well down on this informational page:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=16
If you haven’t tried boiling it, you might give this vegetable another try to see if you like it that way.
Is it just me but the written instructions are different from the visual ones??
Hey Jodey, Yes it’s possible! I updated this recipe recently for the app. Whenever in doubt please follow the written recipe directions. :)
This is excellent! I didn’t have mustard seeds, and I used a can of coconut cream that is NOT light. My husband also loves this. Next time, I will have mustard seeds on hand. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!
mmm good call on using full fat coconut milk…never a bad idea! :) So glad you both loved it.
I’m very late to the party on this one, but I made this last night and had to review and comment! I discovered this on the OSG app when making my grocery list for the week and decided to give it a try. I subbed cauliflower for the broccoli (the store was out of organic broccoli) and it was still absolutely delicious! Very light and flavorful. I also did not have mustard seeds so I used a whole grain dijon and it translated very well. Enjoying the leftovers as I type this, will definitely be making this again! I served it last night with freshly toasted naan and for lunch having with half an avocado for cooling purposes. This recipe most definitely packs a punch of spice and will you right up! Going to keep this one on tap when any stuffiness arises. Thoroughly enjoyed!
Hey Carrie, Oh I love your swaps!! I’m going to try this out next time. Thanks for your app support too!
I made this a few years ago and came back to it today, because it is just SO comforting and tasty! Thank you for sharing so many great recipes, Angela!
Aww thank you so much Gina!! I always forget about this recipe and I’m so glad your comment reminded me to make it soon :)
This is amazing! Still a hit at my house :) Do you have any tips for making in a pressure cooker (I have an instant pot)?
Do you have any recommendations for modifying this to make in an instant pot? I’ve made it many times on the stove and love it!
Hey how many does this recipe serve?
What a great way to sneak more veggies into dinner! I omitted the red chilli flakes for the sake of young tastebuds and just added to my meal afterwards. Served with rice and samosas for easy weeknight dinner.