If you love lentil dahl, you’ll enjoy this lower-carb curry cauliflower rice inspired by the classic Indian dish.
A Low-Calorie, Low-Carb Option
One serving of this cauliflower coconut dahl is just 106 calories with 14 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein. I skip oil in the recipe, so most of the fat comes from light coconut milk. Beyond that it’s simply vegetables, warm spices and bright herbs.
It works beautifully as a main, a side dish, or a salad topper. I recently enjoyed a bowl topped with baby spinach, roasted sweet potato and crispy tofu — a satisfying, balanced meal.
I’ve shared several cauliflower rice recipes; the cauliflower fried rice is a reader favourite and a simple, healthier swap for traditional fried rice.
Other cauliflower rice ideas
- Healthy Vegan Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Thai Red Curry Cauliflower Rice
This low-carb dish is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Although light in calories, it’s rich in micronutrients and big on curry-inspired flavour. It’s fragrant, colourful and easy to fit into most nutrition plans.
So Easy to Make!
This twist on lentil dahl takes under 30 minutes from start to finish. If you rice the cauliflower in advance it comes together even faster.
Sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in a splash of vegetable stock, add spices and tomato, stir in cauliflower rice and coconut milk, simmer until tender, then finish with lime and cilantro.
Add Extra Vegetables or Protein
To boost protein, stir in crumbled tofu or tempeh, sliced seitan, or your favourite plant-based sausage. Extra vegetables such as peas, chopped spinach or roasted chickpeas would also be delicious.
Related Recipes
- Vegetable Korma
- Coconut Red Lentil Dahl
- Vegan Tofu Cashew Fried Rice
- Cauliflower Chickpea Curry
Curry Cauliflower Rice
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Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion, diced, 350 g
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced, 10 g
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped, 200 g
- 3/4 cup vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 small to medium cauliflower, riced, approx. 6 cups, 750 g
- 4 tbsp packed, finely chopped cilantro
- 1 15 oz can coconut milk
- 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup
- Juice from 1/2 lime
Instructions
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Add the onion, garlic and ginger to a pan with a few splashes of vegetable stock. Cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add more stock if needed.
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Stir in the spices and the chopped tomato, combining well and adding a little more stock to loosen the mixture.
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Add the riced cauliflower, cilantro, coconut milk and the remaining stock.
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Simmer gently until the cauliflower is tender, about 20–25 minutes.
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Stir in the sugar (or maple syrup) and lime juice to finish.
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Serve topped with extra fresh cilantro.
Notes
- I make riced cauliflower quickly in a food processor: break the cauliflower into small pieces and pulse until it resembles rice. If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender with a little cold water or a hand grater (though the texture differs).
- The recipe is listed for 6 servings, which are on the smaller side. If you want larger portions, make 3–4 servings instead — each serving will still be quite light in calories.
Nutrition
Calories: 106kcal,
Carbohydrates: 14g,
Protein: 5g,
Fat: 4g,
Fiber: 5g