This Fast and Easy Lentil Dish with Roast Pumpkin and Chilli Cashews – Recipe

It might come as a surprise to many readers, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. Only a couple of versions that I enjoyed, and each were made by my mother: one with lime and coconut, the other a slow-cooked black lentils with rich cream. But now a third fast-cooking dal has made it into my hall of fame. And the secret? Pureeing it until perfectly creamy, then topping with roast squash and moreish spiced nuts. It’s a revelation that’s now on my weekly rotation.

Citrus Lentils with Baked Pumpkin and Spicy Nuts

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Serves two

600g butternut squash flesh, cut into 1-centimeter cubes
1 tablespoon light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
One teaspoon ground cumin
150 grams red lentils, rinsed well
One garlic clove, peeled
Half tsp turmeric
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
1 tsp dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, for garnish

For the Spiced Nuts

60g cashew nuts
1 teaspoon light oil, or extra virgin olive oil
A quarter teaspoon chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/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 veg in a single layer, and mix well to cover. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown.

At the same time, put the lentils in a big pot with 500 milliliters just-boiled water, the garlic clove and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Cover partly, lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils have softened.

Mix the cashews, oil, chilli and a big pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the pumpkin has 8 minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the same oven; by the time the squash is ready, the nuts should be perfectly roasted.

Whisk the dal and season with citrus juice and sea salt to taste. You will need a good amount 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!). Keep adjusting and tasting until you’re satisfied with the flavor, then stir in the butter.

My final step, which elevates this meal to the next level, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic clove) in batches in a high-speed blender. Taste again – it should be just right.

Portion the lentils between two bowls, cover with the roast squash and chilli cashews, scatter over the coriander and serve hot with steamed rice and/or flatbreads.