Lentil dhal with turmeric and coconut milk - smoky roasted oyster mushrooms

A comforting recipe for less than $10 for four servings and ready in less than 30 minutes? Say no more! For those who are not familiar with lentil dhal, it is a soup or puree of red lentils of Indian origin cooked with spices and herbs like ginger and garlic. I add crispy oyster mushrooms on top (which increases the price a little) but they are definitely worth it! Plus the recipe is completely vegan! Let me know if you try it!!

Servings: 4-6

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 honeycrisp apple, peeled and diced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, finely grated
• 1 large clove of garlic or two small ones, finely grated
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp. garam masala
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 ½ cups coral lentils
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Zeste and juice of 1 lime

Mushrooms

• 400 g oyster mushrooms, torn into uneven pieces
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp gochugaru pepper or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

To serve:

• Red onion, thinly sliced ​​into half-moons
• ½ jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
• A dash of coconut milk
• Fresh coriander leaves

Steps:

1. Heat a Dutch oven or pot over medium high heat. Add oil, onion and apple and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir and add garlic and ginger - cook for a minute. Add turmeric, garam masala and smoked paprika - stir and cook until spices begin to fragrant. Add lentils and vegetable stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan and add coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil and cover. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425F.
3. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Place the mushrooms on top and add the other ingredients. Make sure to coat all the mushroom pieces well. Bake for about 10 minutes. Broil for the last few minutes if they are not roasted enough.
4. Check if the dhal has reached a creamy texture. If it is still too runny, remove the lid and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lime zest and juice at the last minute and stir well.
5. Serve immediately in bowls and sprinkle with mushrooms, red onions, jalapeno pepper, a drizzle of coconut milk, fresh cilantro and more gochugaru pepper, to taste!