🔗 Share this article

This could come as a surprise to some cooks, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. Only a couple of types that I enjoyed, and both were prepared by my mum: one with lime and coconut, the other a long-simmered black lentils with cream. But now a new quick-cook dal has joined my hall of fame. And the secret? Pureeing it until perfectly creamy, then serving with roast squash and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a game-changer that’s now on my regular menu.

Lime Dal with Roast Squash and Spicy Nuts

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

600g butternut squash flesh, diced into 1cm cubes
1 tablespoon light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
One teaspoon freshly ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
150g red split lentils, thoroughly washed
1 garlic clove, peeled
½ tsp turmeric
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, as preferred
1 tsp butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, to serve

For the Spiced Nuts

60g cashews
One tsp neutral oil, or olive oil
¼ tsp chilli flakes

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/mark 7. Place the diced pumpkin, cooking oil, a tsp of salt, and the ground coriander and cumin into a baking tray big enough to hold all the veg in a single layer, and toss thoroughly to coat. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and starting to catch at the edges.

Meanwhile, place the lentils in a big pot with 500ml recently boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Cover partly, reduce the heat and simmer, mixing now and then, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils have softened.

Mix the cashews, cooking oil, chilli 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 oven alongside; by the time the squash is ready, the nuts should be nicely toasted.

Stir the lentils and season with lime juice and sea salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of both: think of the dal as a completely blank canvas (I used the juice from two limes and I hate to admit how much salt!). Keep adjusting and tasting until you’re satisfied with the flavor, then stir in the butter.

The last touch, which takes this dish to the next level, is to puree the lentils (and the garlic clove) in batches in a powerful blender. Sample once more – it should be just right.

Divide the dal between two bowls, top with the baked pumpkin and spiced nuts, scatter over the coriander and serve hot with steamed rice and/or flatbreads.