This Quick and Simple Lentil Dish with Roasted Squash and Spicy Nuts – Recipe

It might be unexpected to many cooks, but I am not a fan of dal. Only a couple of types that I enjoyed, and each were prepared by my mum: one with lime and coconut, the other a slow-cooked black lentils with rich cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has joined my hall of fame. And the key? Pureeing it until very smooth, then serving with baked pumpkin and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my regular menu.

Lime Dal with Roast Squash and Chilli Cashews

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

600g butternut squash flesh, diced into 1-centimeter pieces
1 tbsp neutral or olive oil
Sea salt flakes
1 tsp freshly ground coriander
1 tsp cumin powder
150 grams red split lentils, rinsed well
1 clove of garlic, skin removed
½ tsp turmeric powder
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, to taste
One tsp dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, for garnish

For the Spiced Nuts

60g cashew nuts
One tsp neutral oil, or olive oil
A quarter teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/mark 7. Tip the cubed squash, oil, a teaspoon of salt, and the coriander powder and cumin spice into a roasting tin large enough to hold all the vegetables in a single layer, and mix well to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and starting to catch at the edges.

Meanwhile, place the lentils in a large pan with 500 milliliters recently boiled water, the garlic clove and the turmeric spice, and heat until boiling. Partially cover, lower the heat and simmer, mixing now and then, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Combine the nuts, oil, chilli and a big pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the pumpkin has eight minutes left, place the nut tray in the oven alongside; by the time the pumpkin is done, the cashews ought to be nicely toasted.

Whisk the dal and season with lime juice and salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of both: think of the dal as a totally neutral base (I used the juice from two limes and I hate to admit how much salt!). Continue tweaking and tasting until you’re satisfied with the flavor, then stir in the butter.

My final step, which takes this dish to the next stage, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic clove) in portions in a high-speed blender. Taste again – it should be perfect.

Divide the dal between two dishes, top with the baked pumpkin and spiced nuts, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot with rice and/or breads.