Rukmini Iyer's Quick and Simple Lentil Dish with Roasted Squash and Chilli Cashews – Recipe
This could come as a surprise to some cooks, but I am not a fan of dal. Only a couple of versions that I liked, and each were made by my mother: a citrus-coconut variety, the other a long-simmered black dal with rich cream. But now a new fast-cooking dal has made it into my favorites list. And the secret? Blitzing it until very smooth, 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 two
600g butternut squash flesh, cut into 1cm cubes
One tablespoon light-tasting oil
Sea salt flakes
One teaspoon freshly ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin powder
150g red lentils, thoroughly washed
One clove of garlic, peeled
Half teaspoon turmeric
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
1 teaspoon butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, to serve
For the Spiced Nuts
60g cashew nuts
1 teaspoon neutral oil, or extra virgin olive oil
A quarter tsp chilli flakes
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/425°F/gas 7. Place the diced pumpkin, cooking oil, a teaspoon of sea salt, and the ground coriander and cumin spice into a roasting tin large enough to hold all the veg in a single layer, and toss thoroughly to coat. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown.
At the same time, place the lentils in a large pan with 500 milliliters just-boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Partially cover, reduce the heat and simmer, mixing now and then, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils have softened.
Mix the cashews, oil, chilli flakes and a generous pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the pumpkin has 8 minutes left, place the nut tray in the same oven; by the time the squash is ready, the nuts should be perfectly roasted.
Stir the lentils and flavor with citrus 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’m embarrassed to say how much salt!). Continue tweaking 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) in batches in a powerful blender. Sample once more – it should be perfect.
Divide the dal between two dishes, cover with the roast squash and spiced nuts, scatter over the coriander and enjoy warm with rice and/or breads.
