Philicity Reeken's vegan dhal curry recipe
Philicity Reeken shared her recipe for a homemade vegan red lentil curry for 'Breakfast with Martin Bester's' Veganuary challenge.
This January, 'Breakfast with Martin Bester' is taking How Hard Can It Be to new heights with a month-long challenge.
At the end of 2024, musician Elandré challenged Martin Bester, Philicity Reeken, and Xola Ntshinga to participate in the annual Veganuary challenge.
The 'Breakfast with Martin Bester' team accepted the challenge, and for the rest of January 2025, they are only allowed to eat vegan.
READ: Breakfast with Martin Bester goes vegan this January
As part of her Veganuary journey, Philicity Reeken made her own vegan dhal curry.
Here is the recipe:
Ingredients
Dhal
- 2 cups dried orange dhal (soaked overnight in cold water, washed, and drained)
Whole spices
- 2 whole dried red chillies
- 1 star anise
- 3 cloves
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly squashed
- 1 sprig of curry leaves (leaves pulled off the stem)
- 1½ tsp black cumin seeds
- 1½ tsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
Fresh ingredients
- 2 whole red chillies
- 3–5 garlic cloves
- A piece of ginger (about the size of ¾ of a matchbox)
(Blend the chillies, garlic, and ginger into a paste.)
Other ingredients
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 4–5 cups water
- A generous bunch of spinach chopped (it will wilt significantly)
- Additional salt to taste
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the larger whole spices (dried chillies, star anise, cardamom pods, and bay leaves) and cook for 5–7 minutes until fragrant.
2. Add the chopped onion and coarse salt. Sauté until soft and golden, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the smaller whole spices (black cumin, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric) and cook for 1–2 minutes, being careful not to burn them.
4. Add the soaked and drained dhal along with the blended chilli, garlic, and ginger paste. Stir well and cook for about 4 minutes to combine the flavours.
5. Pour in the water. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. If the dhal is still crunchy and the water has evaporated, add more water and continue cooking.
6. Once the dhal is thick and soft, turn off the heat. Stir in the chopped spinach and season with salt to taste. The spinach will wilt from the residual heat.
7. Serve hot with fluffy basmati rice.
Reeken's advice: "Have fun, play, enjoy. Food is love."
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IMAGE: Supplied/ Philicity Reeken