Red Lentil Dhal Recipe For The Campfire

A red lentil dhal recipe for the campfire? This might not be the first thing you would think about adding to your campfire cookery. But it’s one of our favourites and tends to win new fans in whoever tries it.

Dhal, which can also be seen spelled as dal, daal, or dahl, is a staple dish in Indian cuisine. It’s straightforwards to cook and has a rich taste and hearty texture.

Made from split lentils dhal is often enriched with spices. This dish is not only filling but also highly nutritious, commonly enjoyed with rice or chapatis to soak up the flavours.

Combined with rice, dhal provides a nourishing, warming meal. Indeed, lentils combined with rice form a “complete protein” with a full complement of essential amino acids. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates too. Plus you can add fat to this dish, usually in the form of butter or ghee, to add the third of the major macronutrients.

It’s a great, hearty meal to cook on the campfire after a long day of exertion, that will also set you up for the next day.

Ray Goodwin’s lentil dhal recipe, shared here, has its roots in his mother-in-law’s traditional Indian cooking, bringing an authentic touch to this staple of his campfire cooking repertoire.

During our Expedition Canoeing Skills Courses, Ray enjoys cooking this dhal on the campfire, inviting participants to join in making the dhal and chapatis, creating a memorable evening of flavours and camaraderie around the fire.

two men cooking over an open fire with a metal tripod present — Ray Goodwin and a course participant cooking the lentil dahl dish over a campfire during an Expedition Canoeing Skills Course. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Ray Goodwin’s Lentil Dhal Recipe

Serve with cooked basmati rice. Serves 8 to 12

Chapatis, a.k.a roti or rotli, are optional extra.

Ingredients

1kg (2.2lbs) split red lentils
2.5 cups water for every cup of dried red lentils (More water can be added if too dry/thick)
Butter – 1 block
5 small onions, sliced as strips or rings
8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon ground cumin (more to taste)
2 teaspoon ground turmeric (more to taste)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (more to taste)
1 teaspoon chilli powder (more to taste)
Several bay leaves
3 x 400g (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

For the tadka:

Butter to fry in
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

Method for Red Lentil Dhal

Cook the lentils. Place the lentils and water in pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat slightly to maintain a simmer, and cook until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the spices, onions, etc. (see next steps).
Sauté the onions, garlic and spices. Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook gently until browned. Add the salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and bay leaf, and cook, about 1 minute more.
Add the tomatoes along with their juices to the onions.
Add the onion mix and tomatoes to the lentils. Add mix to the cooked lentils and stir to combine.
Make the tadka. Heat the butter in a small pan or over medium heat. Add the cumin and black pepper, and cover immediately. Once the spices stop spluttering, remove from the heat and add the garlic. It will brown quickly, add immediately to the lentils.
Serve (with rice).

Campfire Red Lentil Dhal Recipe – Steps In Photos

Man filling pot with ingredients next to a campfire with a tripod and kettle — Once your fire is prepared, begin by adding your lentils to a large enough pot. Remember the lentils will swell up! Photo: Paul Kirtley.

split red lentils being added to an aluminium Dutch oven — Add split red lentils to your pot. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Pouring water from a billy can into a Dutch oven containing red lentils — Ensure there is enough water added (see recipe). Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Man placing an open Dutch oven pot over a campfire to hang on a metal tripod. — Place the pot of lentils over the fire to cook. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Two men preparing cooking ingredients outdoors under a large tarp — Now, while the lentils begin to cook, prepare the other ingredients. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A while plastic chopping board with onions, garlic and ginger, plus a small non-sticj frying pan containing a large knob of butter. — Ready to sauté the onion, garlic and ginger. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Birds eye view of cooking pot over fire containing lentils and frying pan with onions being softened. — The idea is to slowly soften the onions without them going brown. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Frying pan of onions with added garlic and ginger. — Add the garlic and ginger to the onions. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A large pot over a fire full of swollen lentils. — The lentils should be over a steady heat, swelling up. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A small green plastic bowl containing spices such as cumin, cayenne pepper and turmeric as well as bay leaves. — The herb and spice mix has been measured out and is ready to be added when necessary. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Fried onions with curry spices being added to them. — Once the onions are soft, add the spices and continue to gently fry off. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

a pot of steaming lentils that looks quite like porridge. — Checking the consistency of the lentils. This is good. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Small frying pan with tomatoes, onions and spices — Add the canned tomatoes to the spiced onions and cook. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Pouring tomatoes and onion mix into the cooked pot of lentils. — Combine the tomatoes and onions with the cooked lentils. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A pot of orange coloured lentil dhal. — The dhal will now have a rich orange colour. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A small green plastic bowl containing whole cumin seeds, black pepper and chopped garlic. — Spices and garlic for the tadka. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Adding spices to a frying pan of hot butter over hot coals — Heat up a good amount of butter and add the spices for the tadka. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Bubbling butter in a hot frying pan. — Quickly fry off the spices and garlic. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Pouring hot butter and spices (tadka) into a dhal. — Pour the tadka into the dhal. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A pot brimming with red lentil dhal. — The finished dish – Ray Goodwin’s red lentil dahl. A great addition to your campfire cookery! Photo: Paul Kirtley.

A stainless steel metal camping plate holding white basmati rice and red lentil dahl. — Red lentil dahl and basmati rice makes a tasty, filling meal. Photo: Paul Kirtley.

Whether you’re a seasoned camp cook or just starting your outdoor culinary adventures, this lentil dhal recipe should prove a fantastic choice, adding some variety to your camping menus. As you can see from the above photos, it’s simple to prepare.

Perhaps give this red lentil dhal recipe a try on your next camp, and you’ll see why it’s a favourite on our Expedition Canoeing Skills Courses. And if you have been on one of those courses, you finally have the secret recipe!

It’s full of delicious flavours and great for sharing around the campfire. Not only will you enjoy a taste of Indian cuisine, but you’ll also experience the satisfaction of creating a delicious, healthy and nourishing meal in the great outdoors.

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Paul Kirtley

Paul Kirtley is Founder and Chief Instructor of Frontier Bushcraft. He has had a lifelong passion for the great outdoors and gains great satisfaction from helping others enjoy it too. Paul writes the UK's leading bushcraft blog. He is the author of Wilderness Axe Skills and Campcraft, as well as having contributed to several other books. Paul has been involved in teaching bushcraft since 2003. He is also a Canoe Leader, British Canoeing Level 3 Canoe Coach and UK Summer Mountain Leader.

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