Sri Lankan Parippu Recipe (Red Lentil Curry)

Parippu, pronounced “pa-rip-poo”, is a staple Sri Lankan red lentil curry. Creamy, flavorful, and lightly spiced, it’s traditionally made with red lentils, coconut milk, and aromatic spices. This vegan and gluten-free dish is often served alongside rice, roti, or hoppers. It is perfect as a comforting weekday meal or part of a festive Sri Lankan spread.

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Hey, Siri Lanka

Each week a country name is drawn out of a cup. And in the whole wide world, we have found ourselves going back and forth a good amount between Asia and the Balkans. I promise it’s random. So, without further ado, we are back in Asia with a recipe from Sri Lanka called Parippu. No boys, this has nothing to do with Siri like you thought it was called. But I sure wish Siri talked more about this Pearl of the Indian Ocean. And by Siri, I mean Google — we are not short of ‘Hey Google’ devices in this house. Like pop it up on the Chromecast screensaver once in a while, I have it on enough. And I’ve just lost all my other reader friends for openly admitting I’m an Android user. Apologies now, for the green dot.

But for real, Sri Lanka looks like a real gem. I mean check out these pictures, that some other lucky person got to take because they were there. Probably while I was making a spreadsheet in my work at home cubicle. By pictures alone, the boys are now requesting this as this years summer vacation. While, I wouldn’t be entirely opposed, you can keep dreaming boys, Excel skills doesn’t pay those kind of airfare.

I learned something this week though. I knew there were alot of varieties of lentils – how many when I really looked that surprised me. Maybe, it’s because I seem to perpetually be going through the grocery store at a frantic pace. Next shocker, the color often dictates the cooking time. Random fun fact for your next trivia night.

Here’s where the boys get a little more credit for ‘Siri Lanka’. They ate this dinner, and willingly so. They don’t get an option for anything other than what goes on the table. It’s mostly paid off because they are good eaters. However, now, they scoff at the children’s menu and think I’ll let them order the crab legs and the filet mignon. That would be wrong, my friends.

I would not dream of eating any sort of curry as an eight year old. Or even an eighteen year old. I grew up eating alot of interesting things (squid jerky, anybody?) but things I wouldn’t go near – curry and hot dogs. The adulting version of Alyssa though… yes, please to both!

Recipe: Parippu (Red Lentil Curry)

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Lentils & Base:

• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup coconut milk

Aromatics & Spices:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 green chili, sliced (optional for heat)
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp curry powder
• Salt, to taste

Finishing Touches:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1–2 curry leaves (optional)
• Fresh coriander, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:

Cook your Lentils:

In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until lentils are soft and starting to break down.

Step 2: Sauté Aromatics

Cover and let this simmer for about 15 minutes or the beans are soft and turning yellow. If you like the spice, add some chili peppers here. I use them as a topping because Jake has a hard time with the heat. Remove the lentils from the heat and keep in a bowl.

While lentils cook, heat oil in a separate pan. Add onions, garlic, ginger, green chili, and curry leaves. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and golden.

Step 3: Combine and Simmer

Add turmeric, curry powder, and salt to the sautéed aromatics. Stir in the cooked lentils and coconut milk. Simmer on low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy.

Step 4: Serve

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with steamed rice, roti, or hoppers.

I didn’t think we did much vegetarian, but it turned out to be more than I thought… here’s just a sampling! Sudanese Ful Medames, Egyptian Koshari, Israeli Potato Latkes, Polish Pierogies, Andorran Mushroom Ometlettes

File: Sri Lanka; Parippu