The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Creamy Spinach & Coconut Basa Dhal
Responsibly-sourced basa is the star of this creamy dhal. Brighten it with golden turmeric. Make it hearty with fibre-rich lentils. Add yum-factor with coconut cream. Leafy spinach add a pop of colour.
High protein
1/3 daily fibre
8 plants
Serving size
Ingredients
- 3 garlic clove
- 80g baby spinach (use half)
- 1 basa fillet (Fish)
- 2 spring onion
- 2 tsp garam masala (use half) (Coriander, cinnamon, garlic powder, ginger, pimento, clove, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cayenne pepper)
- 80g red split lentils (use half) (red split lentils (100%))
- 110g baby tomatoes (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 1 handful of fresh coriander (use half)
- 1 unwaxed lemon (use half)
- 4cm fresh ginger (use half)
- 1 tsp turmeric (use a quarter)
- 40g creamed coconut (use half)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 531
Protein: 43g
Carbs: 43g
Fat: 23g
Ingredients
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 80g red split lentils (red split lentils (100%))
- 4cm fresh ginger
- 80g baby spinach
- 2 basa fillets (Fish)
- 2 tsp garam masala (Coriander, cinnamon, garlic powder, ginger, pimento, clove, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cayenne pepper)
- 1 onion
- 40g creamed coconut
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 tsp turmeric (use half)
- 2 spring onion
- 3 garlic clove
- 1 handful of fresh coriander
Nutritional Information
Calories: 515
Protein: 42g
Carbs: 41g
Fat: 23g
Creamy Spinach & Coconut Basa Dhal
Responsibly-sourced basa is the star of this creamy dhal. Brighten it with golden turmeric. Make it hearty with fibre-rich lentils. Add yum-factor with coconut cream. Leafy spinach add a pop of colour.
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Boil a half-full kettle
- Pull out a large lidded frying pan, a grater & a measuring jug
Get started
- Finely chop or crush the garlic. Finely grate the ginger. Finely dice the onion. Halve the tomatoes. Finely slice the spring onions
- Meanwhile, dissolve the creamed coconut in the jug with 500ml boiling water (250ml for 1 person)
Simmer the dhal
- Heat the large lidded frying with 1 tbsp oil on a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger, then cook for 4-5 mins, until beginning to soften
- Add the tomatoes, garam masala, the half pack of turmeric and half the spring onions, and cook for a further 2 mins
- Add the lentils and creamed coconut mixture, then simmer for 12 mins, until the lentils are beginning to soften. Add a splash of water if it becomes too dry
Finish the prep
- Meanwhile, roughly chop the coriander. Rinse the spinach
- Quarter the lemon. Dice the basa into 3cm pieces
Add the fish
- When the lentils have simmered for 12 mins, add the basa to the pan and simmer for 12 mins, until cooked through
- Once cooked, gently in the spinach and half the coriander. Simmer until the spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice
Plate up
- Check your fish is cooked through; it should be steaming hot, opaque and separate easily with a fork
- Serve the basa dhal in bowls garnished with the remaining coriander, spring onions and the lemon wedges
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