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    Home / Side Dish / Dhal Curry

    Dhal Curry

    Red lentils simmered soft in coconut milk with turmeric and a sizzling tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves.

    ⏱ 10 minPrep time
    🔥 25 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 Side DishCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Dhal Curry — Sri Lankan coconut lentil curry

    Dhal curry, or parippu, is the everyday comfort dish of Sri Lankan tables, the bowl of yellow lentils that appears at nearly every meal. It is modest and quick, but the final tempering of mustard seeds, onions, and curry leaves sizzled in hot oil makes it sing. Every household has its own thickness and spice level, and arguments about who makes it best are common. Some versions add a spoonful of roasted curry powder for depth, while others keep it golden and simple, and it is usually the first curry people learn to cook.

    Yellow lentils, golden with coconut

    The lentils cook down creamy and soft, cushioned by coconut milk, with little bursts of toasted mustard seed and crisp curry leaves in every spoonful. It is the perfect counterpoint to fiery sambols and rich meat curries, and it thickens as it cools, so loosen it with warm water when reheating. Serve it ladled over rice with a squeeze of lime, and it also scales up easily when the whole family comes to dinner.

    Craving more? Explore all Sri Lankan Kitchen recipes.

    Curious how this curry compares to others? Our World of Curries guide explains 8 styles.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Combine the lentils, water, turmeric, and half the salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 to 18 minutes, until the lentils are very soft.
    2. Stir in the coconut milk and chili powder and simmer gently for 5 minutes more, until thick and creamy. Add the remaining salt.
    3. In a small skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook until they start to pop, about 30 seconds.
    4. Add the onion, garlic, and curry leaves and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion is soft and golden.
    5. Scrape the tempering into the lentils and stir to combine.
    6. Serve hot over rice with a squeeze of lime.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Cook the lentils until they are fully soft before adding coconut milk, and simmer gently after, so the milk never curdles. The curry thickens on standing; loosen it with a splash of warm water.

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    Recipe details

    Prep10 min
    Cook25 min
    Servings6
    CategorySide Dish
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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