Dhal curry or “Parippu Mirisata” as we call it in Sinhalese is a staple in Sri Lankan cuisine. It’s mildly spiced, creamy and packed with flavours. This spicy dhal curry is a dish you will always find in every household, restaurant, and special function. It’s very easy to make, but the trick is to get the perfect balance in the curry. It cannot be mushy or overcooked but the grain should be cooked through. Everyone has their own way of making dhal curry but this is my favourite method.
Parippu Mirisata / Spicy Red Lentil Curry
Ingredients
- Red Lentil (masoor dhal) – 1 cup
- Water – 2 cups
- Onion – ½ medium sized, chopped
- Green Chilies – 1-2 cut into small pieces
- Garlic – 3 cloves, chopped
- Turmeric – 1 tsp
- Chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander and cumin powder – ½ tsp, ground ( 2:1 ratio)
- Ceylon cinnamon – 1 piece
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Pandan leaves – 2-3 pieces
- Salt – 1 tsp (adjust to your taste)
- Thick coconut milk – ⅔ cup
For Tempering:
- Oil – 2-3 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Onion – ½ medium, sliced
- Crushed whole dry chilies – 1-2
- Chilli powder – ½ tsp
- Oil for frying
- Curry leaves and Pandan leaves
Method:
- Wash dhal until water runs clear.
- Transfer dhal to a pot and add water along with all the other spices excluding coconut milk.
- Mix well and cook on medium heat until dhal is almost cooked. Do not over cook.
- Add coconut milk. As soon as coconut milk boils, turn off the heat.
- Make the tempering by heating oil in a small frying pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add onion, fry chilli (optional – for extra heat) curry leaves and pandan leaves.
- Turn the heat to low and fry until everything is cooked.
- Add the chilli powder and fry for about 30 seconds. This is completely optional. I add this just for extra heat and this also gives a nice colour to the tempering.
- Add this tempering to the cooked dhal.
- This dhal curry can be served with rice, bread, string hoppers or any preferred carb. Enjoy!
Watch this recipe here – Parippu Mirisata
Nilashee Perera, a software engineer, hails from Sri Lanka and currently resides in the USA with her family. As a child, she had little interest in cooking, but she eventually discovered a passion for it, with her mother playing a significant role in shaping her culinary prowess.
During the pandemic, she started a blog as a hobby, finding solace in cooking and sharing her creations. Fascinated by exploring different cuisines and trying new recipes, Nilashee found fulfilment in her culinary journey. Besides cooking, Nilashee is passionate about food photography. Her blog connected her with food enthusiasts worldwide, exchanging recipes, ideas, and experiences. She finds joy in capturing the essence of a well-crafted dish and believes in pursuing passions for personal growth and happiness.
Translations and detailed descriptions are provided to give a better understanding of the story to people from different cultural backgrounds across the globe.