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Recipe-1 › Curries of the world › Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu)

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu)

Red lentils simmered in coconut milk with curry leaves and tempered spices.

Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu)
Same steps, different flavour base Mild

New here? How this page works

Recipe-1 is one simple curry recipe in nine steps: fry onions and green chillies, add your vegetables or meat, add chilli powder and turmeric, then water and salt, and boil. With small changes the same nine steps make curries from all over the world.

This page takes those nine steps and shows what to change to make Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu). You don’t need to read anything else first: every base step is written out below. The changes are worked out on paper from what is typical for this dish; not yet kitchen-tested. Cooked it? Tell others how it went.

Green: the base recipe step (crossed out = do not use it for this dish)Red: what to do instead for Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu)

See the full base recipe (with timers and tips) · See all curries on the world map

You’ll need

How many people?4

The amounts change with the number of people; cooking times stay about the same (use a bigger pot for more). Taste as you go: you can always add more chilli or salt, but you cannot take it out.

Main ingredient: 200 g Red lentils (masoor dal), washed.

From the base recipe

  • 1 Onions
  • 1–2 Green chillies
  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil
  • optional Red chilli powder
  • ½ tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp · 500 ml Salt and water
  • Ginger garlic paste not used
  • Cloves, cardamom and cinnamon not used
  • Garam masala (optional) not used

Add for Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu)

  • 200 ml Coconut milk
  • 1 sprig · 1 Curry leaves and pandan leaf
  • ½ tsp · ½ tsp Mustard and cumin seeds
  • 2 Dried red chillies
  • 3 Garlic

Leave out

  • Garam masala

The nine steps, with the changes

Where a step has a red line, do the red line and not the crossed-out green base step. Steps with only green are done just as in the base recipe.

  1. Base step: do not useCut onions and chillies.

    Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu): do thisSlice the onions; slit one or two green chillies.

  2. Fry in some oil for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.

  3. Base step: do not useCut the vegetable(s) of your choice.

    Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu): do thisWash the lentils.

  4. Base step: do not useAdd them and fry for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.

    Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu): do thisBoil the lentils with turmeric and water until soft, about 15 minutes.

  5. Base step: do not useAdd red chilli powder and turmeric.

    Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu): do thisAdd turmeric (and a little chilli powder if you like).

  6. Keep frying until just before they start browning.

  7. Base step: do not useAdd some water.

    Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu): do thisAdd coconut milk to the lentils.

  8. Add salt.

  9. Base step: do not useBoil until the gravy is as thick as you like.

    Sri Lankan dhal curry (parippu): do thisSimmer 5 minutes. Separately fry mustard seeds, curry leaves, onion, garlic and dried chillies in oil and pour over.

Serve: With rice, roti or string hoppers.

For meat and seafood, make sure it is cooked through: chicken until no pink remains inside; mutton, goat and beef need long, slow cooking.

← Shorshe ilishAll curries on the mapNepali chicken curry (kukhura ko masu) →

Food marks, as on packaged food in India: vegetarian · non-vegetarian (meat, fish or egg). Dishes with both marks can be made either way.

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