Kitchen Recipe Collection
Sri Lankan Dhal Curry (Parippu)
Creamy, golden red lentil curry tempered with coconut milk, mustard seeds, and curry leaves — the most beloved and essential curry in Sri Lankan cooking, served at every meal.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- sri lankan
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- red lentils (masoor dal)
- coconut milk
- onion
- garlic
- green chilies
- turmeric
- mustard seeds
- curry leaves
- dried red chilies
- oil
- salt
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Tempering pan
Instructions
- 1
Cook Lentils
Rinse red lentils thoroughly. Place in a saucepan with water (2:1 ratio), turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes until very soft and breaking apart.
- 2
Add Coconut Milk
Pour in the coconut milk and stir gently. Simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes until creamy.
- 3
Prepare Tempering
In a separate small pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add dried red chilies, curry leaves, and sliced onion. Fry until the onion is golden. Add garlic and green chilies and cook for 30 seconds.
- 4
Combine
Pour the hot tempering over the cooked dhal. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt.
- 5
Serve
Serve hot alongside rice and other curries, or with string hoppers and coconut sambol for breakfast.
Cooking Tips
- The tempering (thadka) is the most important flavor-building step — make sure the mustard seeds fully pop before adding other ingredients.
- Red lentils cook very quickly and do not need soaking. Over-cooking them to a creamy mush is perfectly correct for this dish.
- A pinch of turmeric not only adds color but also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Variations
- Thicker Dhal: Cook without adding the full amount of coconut milk for a thicker, drier version to serve as a side.
- Spicier: Add more dried red chilies and a pinch of chili powder to the tempering.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- Parippu (dhal) is present at virtually every Sri Lankan meal regardless of the time of day — it is the most universally loved dish in Sri Lanka.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. It thickens as it cools; add a little water when reheating.
Nutrition Estimate
245 calories · 13g protein · 40g carbs · 6g fat · 8g fiber per serving
