Dal Bhat (Lentil Curry with Rice)

The cheapest, yummiest, hormone healthy way to get a whole protein with pantry ingredients

‘Dal Bhat power, 24 hour’ is the slogan you will hear time and again in Nepal. It’s on t-shirts, bags, signs. But for good reason, the country runs on lentils and rice and so did we the 3 months we lived there! My husband and I were building houses in Nepal during the aftermath of the huge earthquakes that occurred in 2015 and we ate this every day (alongside other things, but often just Dal Bhat!) and felt the healthiest and strongest we ever have, truly.

Lentils (as well as beans and some vegetables like cauliflower and carrots, surprisingly!) make a complete protein when paired with rice. Lentils are also super mineral rich, high in folate and fiber making them great for your Follicular and Ovulation phases, and can even help combat the onset of PMS.

Plus, all the spices and herbs are great for you, and the simplicity of this dish makes it really easy on the stomach and healing.

So this is not only a super cheap meal but truly nutritious, filling and super delicious.

It’s also one of those beautiful recipes that once you learn you can mess with- switch up the ingredients to use up what’s in your fridge or create different flavor profiles! This recipe is not perfectly traditional but I like it this way.