This Quick and Simple Lentil Dish with Roast Squash and Chilli Cashews – Method
This could come as a surprise to some readers, but I am not a fan of dal. Only a couple of versions that I liked, and both were made by my mother: one with lime and coconut, the other a slow-cooked black dal with cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has joined my favorites list. And the key? Blitzing it until perfectly creamy, then topping with baked pumpkin and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my regular menu.
Lime Dal with Baked Pumpkin and Spicy Nuts
Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves two
600 grams pumpkin cubes, cut into 1cm cubes
1 tablespoon light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tsp ground cilantro
One tsp ground cumin
150 grams red split lentils, rinsed well
One clove of garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
One teaspoon dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, to serve
For the Chilli Cashews
60 grams cashew nuts
One tsp neutral oil, or olive oil
A quarter teaspoon chilli flakes
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425°F/gas 7. Place the diced pumpkin, cooking oil, a tsp of salt, and the ground coriander and cumin into a roasting tin large enough to hold all the vegetables in a single layer, and toss thoroughly to coat. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and starting to catch at the edges.
Meanwhile, put the lentils in a large pan with 500ml just-boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric spice, and bring to a boil. Cover partly, lower the heat and simmer, mixing now and then, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
Mix the cashews, cooking oil, chilli flakes and a generous pinch of sea salt in a small baking tray. When the squash has eight minutes left, place the nut tray in the same oven; by the time the squash is ready, the cashews ought to be perfectly roasted.
Whisk the dal and season with citrus juice and sea salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of each: think of the dal as a completely blank canvas (I used the juice from two limes and I’m embarrassed to say how much seasoning!). Continue tweaking and sampling 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 puree the lentils (and the garlic) in portions in a high-speed blender. Taste again – it should be just right.
Divide the dal between two bowls, cover with the baked pumpkin and spiced nuts, scatter over the cilantro and enjoy warm with rice and/or flatbreads.
