🔗 Share this article

It might be unexpected to many readers, but I am not a fan of dal. Only a couple of versions that I liked, and both were prepared by my mum: a citrus-coconut variety, the other a long-simmered black lentils with rich cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has joined my favorites list. And the secret? Pureeing it until perfectly creamy, then serving with baked pumpkin and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a game-changer that’s now on my regular menu.

Citrus Lentils with Baked Pumpkin and Chilli Cashews

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves two

600g butternut squash flesh, cut into 1-centimeter pieces
1 tbsp light-tasting oil
Sea salt flakes
One teaspoon ground cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
150 grams red split lentils, rinsed well
1 clove of garlic, skin removed
½ tsp turmeric
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, as preferred
One teaspoon dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, to serve

For the Spiced Nuts

60g cashews
1 teaspoon light oil, or extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425°F/gas 7. Place the diced pumpkin, oil, a tsp of salt, and the coriander powder and cumin spice into a roasting tin big enough to hold all the veg in a single layer, and toss thoroughly to cover. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown.

At the same time, put the lentils in a large pan with 500 milliliters just-boiled water, the garlic clove and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Cover partly, lower the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Combine the nuts, oil, chilli and a big pinch of sea salt in a small baking tray. When the pumpkin has 8 minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the oven alongside; by the time the pumpkin is done, the nuts should be perfectly roasted.

Stir the lentils and flavor with citrus juice and salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of each: consider the dal as a totally neutral base (I used the juice of two limes and I hate to admit how much seasoning!). Continue tweaking and sampling until you’re happy with the seasoning, then add the butter.

My final step, which takes this dish to the next level, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic) in batches in a powerful blender. Taste again – it should be just right.

Divide the dal between two bowls, cover with the roast squash and spiced nuts, sprinkle with the coriander and enjoy warm with rice and/or flatbreads.