Food Recipes Dinner Vegetarian Main Course Red Lentil Akoho Sy Voanio (Malagasy Coconut Lentils) 4.9 (42) 38 Reviews Lentils are cooked with tomatoes, aromatics, and coconut milk to create a curry-like dish that’s satisfying and rich. By Von Diaz Von Diaz Puerto Rican-born and Atlanta-raised Von Diaz is an Emmy Award-winning documentarian, radio producer, and food historian. She explores food, culture, and identity in her work and published her debut culinary memoir, Coconut & Collards: Recipes and Stories from Puerto to the Deep South, in 2018. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 29, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Servings: 4 to 8 Jump to recipe This comforting lentil dish builds layers of flavor with aromatic ginger and garlic, rich coconut milk, and bright lemon zest and juice.Red lentils cook quickly and break down into a creamy, stew-like texture, making this one-pot dish an excellent weeknight option.Naturally vegan and gluten-free, this satisfying dish becomes a complete meal when served with steamed rice. In this vegetarian version of a popular Malagasy recipe, lentils are cooked with tomatoes and aromatics in a combination of coconut milk and water to create an ultra-comforting, curry-like dish that’s satisfying and rich. The texture is similar to a thick soup, with bits of tender lentils studded throughout. Turmeric lends warm flavor, while cooked tomatoes bring the umami. Sautéed onions and garlic deliver a cozy savoriness, while the mix of ground cayenne and black pepper adds a subtle back-end heat. A hint of lemon zest and juice balances the dish with just the right amount of acidic brightness, rounding out every bite. Soaking dried red lentils Regardless of the color, soaking lentils is not necessary. Doing so may allow you to reduce the total cooking time, but it’s not an essential step. We do, however, recommend rinsing the lentils in a fine wire-mesh sieve to remove dust and other debris. Health benefits of fresh ginger In addition to imparting its warm, spicy flavor to dishes, fresh ginger may improve your overall gut health, aid in digestion, and ease an upset stomach. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen When adding the coconut milk and water, be sure to scrape the bottom of your pot to loosen and dissolve all of that flavor back into the sauce. Red lentils are slightly nuttier and sweeter than green or brown lentils. Find red lentils at most specialty grocery stores or online at mezehub.com. In a pinch, you can use yellow split peas; adjust the cook time as necessary. Suggested pairing Serve with a Belgian-style wheat beer, such as Allagash White. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 4 to 8 servings 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups) 3 plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup) 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon) 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger (from 1 [2 1/2-inch] piece) 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/2 pound dried red lentils (about 1 1/4 cups), rinsed and drained 1 1/2 cups water 1 1/2 cups well-stirred unsweetened coconut milk 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for garnish 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more to taste (optional) Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish Steamed white rice, for serving Directions Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and turmeric; cook, stirring often, until tomatoes break down, 5 to 7 minutes. Add lentils, 1 1/2 cups water, coconut milk, salt, lemon zest and juice, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if using, to pan; bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and cayenne pepper, if desired. Garnish with parsley and additional black pepper. Serve with steamed rice. Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen Make ahead Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days or in the freezer for up to one month. Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, May 2024 Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.