Rukmini Iyer's Quick and Simple Lentil Dish with Roasted Pumpkin and Chilli Cashews – Method
It might be unexpected to some readers, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. There were just two versions that I liked, and both were prepared by my mum: a citrus-coconut variety, the other a long-simmered black lentils with rich cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has joined my favorites list. And the key? Pureeing it until perfectly creamy, then serving with baked pumpkin and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my weekly rotation.
Lime Dal with Baked Pumpkin and Spicy Nuts
Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves two
600g butternut squash flesh, diced into 1-centimeter pieces
One tablespoon neutral or olive oil
Sea salt flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
One teaspoon ground cumin
150 grams red lentils, rinsed well
One clove of garlic, skin removed
Half tsp turmeric
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, to taste
1 tsp dairy butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
For the Spiced Nuts
60g cashews
One teaspoon neutral oil, or olive oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/mark 7. Place the diced pumpkin, oil, a teaspoon of salt, and the coriander powder and cumin spice into a baking tray big enough to hold all the veg in one layer, and toss thoroughly to cover. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and starting to catch at the edges.
Meanwhile, place the lentils in a big pot with 500ml just-boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Cover partly, lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils have softened.
Mix the cashews, oil, chilli flakes and a big pinch of sea 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 flavor with lime juice and sea salt to taste. You will need a good amount of each: consider the dal as a completely blank canvas (I used the juice of two limes and I hate to admit how much seasoning!). Keep adjusting and tasting until you’re happy with the seasoning, then stir in the butter.
The last touch, which takes this dish to the next stage, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic) in portions in a powerful blender. Sample once more – it should be perfect.
Portion the lentils between two dishes, cover with the roast squash and spiced nuts, scatter over the cilantro and serve hot with rice and/or breads.
