Parippu

Parippu is a Sri Lankan red lentil dhal, gently simmered in coconut milk with curry leaves and spices. It is one of the everyday curries of Sri Lankan home cooking, served on the same plate as plain rice and other curries. Sinhala and Tamil cooks both make it, under the names parippu and paruppu.

What it really is

Red lentils are simmered with turmeric, onion, chilli and curry leaves until they break down into a thick, soft dhal. Coconut milk goes in during cooking, so the finished dish is creamy, mildly rich and gently spiced rather than hot. Spices are often fried briefly in oil and poured over at the end, which adds aroma. The classic dish contains no meat, fish or dairy, and red lentils are naturally free of gluten.

How it's served

• Hot, spooned over or beside plain boiled rice as one curry in a rice and curry meal.
• Alongside other curries, vegetable dishes and a sambol such as pol sambol.
• Diners usually mix it into the rice before eating.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the main ingredient, red lentil dhal, and say it is cooked in coconut milk.
• Flag coconut milk clearly, since guests with a coconut allergy ask about it.
• Say what the tempering is fried in. Ghee is not vegan, so the vegan label depends on using plant oil.
• State the standard serving: rice, with a sambol or vegetable curry alongside.
• Ask the kitchen about chilli heat before promising a level, because it varies from kitchen to kitchen.