This Fast and Easy Lime Dal with Roast Pumpkin and Chilli Cashews – Method

This could be unexpected to some readers, but I am not a fan of dal. There were just two versions that I enjoyed, and each were made by my mother: a citrus-coconut variety, the other a slow-cooked black dal with rich cream. But now a new fast-cooking dal has joined my hall of fame. And the secret? Pureeing it until very smooth, then serving with baked pumpkin and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my regular menu.

Lime Dal with Roast Squash and Spicy Nuts

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

600 grams butternut squash flesh, diced into 1cm pieces
1 tbsp light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
One tsp freshly ground coriander
One tsp cumin powder
150g red split lentils, thoroughly washed
One clove of garlic, peeled
Half tsp turmeric powder
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
1 tsp butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

For the Spiced Nuts

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

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

Meanwhile, place the lentils in a large pan with 500ml recently boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric spice, and bring to a boil. Cover partly, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Combine the nuts, cooking oil, chilli and a generous pinch of sea salt in a small oven tray. When the squash has 8 minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the oven alongside; by the time the squash is ready, the cashews ought to be nicely toasted.

Whisk the dal and season with citrus juice and salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of both: consider the dal as a totally neutral base (I used the juice from two limes and I hate to admit how much salt!). Keep adjusting and sampling until you’re happy with the flavor, then stir in the butter.

My final step, which elevates this meal 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 just right.

Portion the lentils between two dishes, top with the baked pumpkin and spiced nuts, scatter over the coriander and enjoy warm with rice and/or breads.