This Fast and Simple Lentil Dish with Roast Pumpkin and Chilli Nuts – Recipe
It might come as a surprise to many readers, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. There were just two types that I liked, and each were prepared by my mum: one with lime and coconut, the other a long-simmered black dal with rich cream. But now a new quick-cook dal has joined my hall of fame. And the secret? Blitzing it until perfectly creamy, then serving with roast squash and moreish spiced nuts. It’s a game-changer that’s now on my regular menu.
Lime Dal with Roast Squash and Spicy Nuts
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2
600g pumpkin cubes, diced into 1-centimeter cubes
1 tbsp light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin powder
150g red split lentils, rinsed well
One garlic clove, peeled
½ tsp turmeric
Juice of 1-2 limes, as preferred
1 teaspoon butter
Chopped fresh coriander, for garnish
For the Chilli Cashews
60 grams cashews
One tsp neutral oil, or extra virgin olive oil
A quarter teaspoon chilli flakes
Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/425F/mark 7. Place the diced pumpkin, cooking oil, a tsp of sea salt, and the coriander powder and cumin into a roasting tin big enough to hold all the vegetables in one layer, and mix well to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown.
Meanwhile, put the lentils in a large pan with 500 milliliters recently boiled water, the garlic clove and the turmeric, and bring to a boil. Cover partly, reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
Combine the nuts, cooking oil, chilli and a big pinch of sea salt in a small baking tray. When the pumpkin has eight minutes left, place the nut tray in the same oven; by the time the pumpkin is done, the nuts should be perfectly roasted.
Whisk the dal and flavor with citrus juice and sea salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of each: think of the dal as a totally neutral base (I used the juice from two limes and I’m embarrassed to say how much seasoning!). Keep adjusting and tasting until you’re happy 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 batches in a high-speed blender. Sample once more – it should be perfect.
Portion the lentils between two bowls, top with the roast squash and spiced nuts, sprinkle with the coriander and serve hot with rice and/or breads.
