As I have never been to India, my only experience with dal comes from local Indian restaurants with vegan specialties that make my heart flutter, and a handful of how-to’s online. After some trial and error, learning about tempering – as in cooking the spices a bit, and testing out a variety of flavors – this dal with added sweet potato and spinach is my favorite take on the traditional. As the red lentils cook and turn quite mushy, (in a good way!) the sweet potato pieces become incredibly soft and sweet, especially when they’re infused with spice from turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Coconut milk makes the whole pot of goodness extra creamy and spinach adds in a little green and contrasting texture. While the whole pot cooks on the stove – for a mere 20 or so minutes – the aromas in your kitchen will completely mellow you out and make you so happy; dal just smells so good!

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