Kerala Coconut Dal (Parippu Curry)

About This Recipe

Parippu curry is the everyday dal of Kerala, distinct from North Indian dals for its use of coconut milk and coconut oil rather than ghee, reflecting the coastal produce that shapes the region's cooking. Yellow moong dal or toor dal is boiled until soft, then simmered with turmeric, green chile, and a generous pour of coconut milk near the end. The defining step is the tempering, or vazhichathu — coconut oil heated until shimmering, then used to fry mustard seeds, dried red chile, curry leaves, and often thin shallot slices until they turn deep brown and intensely fragrant. This mixture is poured over the finished dal right before serving, and the sound of it hitting the hot pot is part of the ritual. It is traditionally the anchor of a Kerala sadya (feast) served over rice, but on any given weeknight it appears simply as comfort food, mild enough for the whole family and quick enough to make in under 45 minutes.

Ingredients

Serves 3

• 1 cupyellow moong dal or toor dal(rinsed)
• 3 cupswater
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 1green chile(slit)
• 1 cupcoconut milk
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbspcoconut oil
• 1 tspmustard seeds
• 2dried red chiles
• 2shallots(thinly sliced)
• 15fresh curry leaves
• 3 clovesgarlic(thinly sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the dal

   Combine dal, water, turmeric, and green chile in a pot. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes until the lentils fall apart completely.

2. 2

   Mash and season

   Whisk or lightly mash the cooked dal until mostly smooth. Stir in salt and simmer 2-3 minutes more.

3. 3

   Add coconut milk

   Pour in coconut milk and stir well. Bring back to a gentle simmer for 2-3 minutes — do not let it boil hard, which can make coconut milk split.

4. 4

   Make the tempering

   Heat coconut oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop, then add dried red chiles, shallots, and garlic.

5. 5

   Fry until fragrant

   Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the shallots turn deep golden-brown and crisp at the edges. Add curry leaves in the last 15 seconds — they will crackle loudly.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Pour the hot tempering, oil and all, directly over the dal. Serve immediately over steamed rice.

Variations

• •

  Add a handful of chopped spinach or drumstick (moringa) pieces to the dal while it simmers.

• •

  Use red lentils (masoor dal) for a faster-cooking, slightly sweeter version.

• •

  Skip the coconut milk and use grated fresh coconut ground into a paste for a thicker, more rustic texture.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water, stirring often since coconut milk-based dals thicken significantly when chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions