🔗 Share this article

This could come as a surprise to many cooks, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. Only a couple of types that I enjoyed, and each were made by my mother: a citrus-coconut variety, the other a slow-cooked black lentils with cream. But now a new fast-cooking dal has joined my hall of fame. And the key? Pureeing it until very smooth, then topping with roast squash and moreish chilli cashews. It’s a game-changer that’s now on my weekly rotation.

Citrus Lentils with Baked Pumpkin and Spicy Nuts

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

600g butternut squash flesh, cut into 1cm cubes
1 tablespoon neutral or olive oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground coriander
One tsp ground cumin
150g red lentils, thoroughly washed
One garlic clove, skin removed
½ tsp turmeric powder
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
One teaspoon dairy butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

For the Chilli Cashews

60g cashews
1 teaspoon light oil, or olive oil
¼ tsp chilli flakes

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

At the same time, put the lentils in a big pot with 500ml recently boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric spice, and heat until boiling. Cover partly, lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Mix the cashews, cooking oil, chilli flakes and a generous pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the pumpkin has eight minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the same oven; by the time the squash is ready, the cashews ought to be nicely toasted.

Whisk the dal and flavor with lime juice and sea salt to taste. You will need a good amount of both: consider the dal as a completely blank canvas (I used the juice from two limes and I’m embarrassed to say how much seasoning!). Keep adjusting and sampling until you’re satisfied with the seasoning, then add the butter.

The last touch, which takes this dish to the next level, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic clove) in batches in a high-speed blender. Sample once more – it should be perfect.

Divide the dal between two dishes, top with the baked pumpkin and chilli cashews, sprinkle with the coriander and serve hot with rice and/or flatbreads.