Autumnal Red Lentil & Butternut Squash Dahl

It’s halfway through autumn: the cold air now pinches my cheeks outside, and I start regretting not wearing a hat every time I’m out. It’s the time of year when we start making lots of one-pot warm comforting meals. One of them is our Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl, cooked in a turmeric-infused coconut and tomato stock.

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Celebratory Dahl

Whilst we don’t celebrate Diwali ourselves, we thought we’d make a lovely warming Dahl this year in solidarity with over a billion people who celebrate the ‘festival of lights’. Three years ago, we were travelling in India when the country was preparing for the celebrations by hanging colourful lights, and arranging flowers and clay oil lamps everywhere. This year, the least we can do is cook a delicious Indian meal and reminisce about our experiences in this beautiful country.

Method

To begin with, peel and dice your butternut squash. For your butternut to cook at roughly the same time as your dahl, you should aim for 1cm cubes. Thinly slice your red onion. After that, finely chop ginger and garlic.

STEP 1: Cook The Butternut Squash

In a large, wide-based pan, heat a splash of oil. Add half of the sliced onions and fry for 4-5 minutes on low heat until starting to soften.

In the meantime, heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan (or two pans, if one isn’t big enough). Add diced butternut squash, and the remaining sliced red onion and season with salt and pepper. Fry on medium heat for 15-20 minutes stirring every couple of minutes.

Alternative Butternut Squash Cooking Method

Alternatively, you can mix butternut squash, red onion, some oil and seasoning and spread in a single layer on a large baking tray. Roast in the oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, mixing a couple of times throughout the cooking. Keep an eye on the onions though, as they burn quickly in the oven.

STEP 2: Make The Red Lentil Dahl

Whilst butternut is cooking, continue preparing your dahl. When your onions have softened, add chopped garlic, ginger and ground turmeric, and fry for another minute until fragrant. Then, mix in rinsed lentils and crumble in a stock cube. After that, pour in a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tin of coconut milk and 200ml of water. Mix well, cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes. When cooked, lentils should be tender and your dahl should have a creamy porridge-like consistency.

When cooked, take the dahl off of the heat and stir in the spinach and juice of half a lemon. Spoon into bowls, and top with slightly browned butternut squash and crispy onion. Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.

Your Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl is ready! What a bright and lovely dinner bowl it is! It tastes wonderful on any cold autumn or winter evening.

What To Serve With Butternut Squash Dahl?

This Vegetable Dahl is really rather filling and can be served as a main meal on its own. However, there are a few things that you can pair with it for the ultimate Indian feast. Why not try it with:

• Simple Naan Bread
• Easy 4-Ingredient Rotis | Simple Indian Flatbreads

Other Recipes For Chilly Autumn Evenings

If you’re looking for more ideas for comforting food for cold days, have a look at our other recipes:

• Modern Colcannon with Poached Eggs
• Sweet Chilli Pepper Risotto
• Spicy Bean Stew with Cheesy Dumplings

Recipe Card

Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl

It's halfway through autumn: the cold air now pinches my cheeks outside, and I start regretting not wearing a hat every time I'm out. It's the time of year when we start making lots of one-pot warm comforting meals. One of them is our Red Lentil and Butternut Squash Dahl, cooked in a turmeric-infused coconut and tomato stock.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 portions

Calories 582 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 600 g butternut squash peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
• 2 red onions thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 30 g root ginger peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 260 g red lentils rinsed in cold water
• 1½ stock cubes
• 400ml tin of rich & creamy coconut milk
• 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
• 200 ml water
• 100 g spinach
• 1½ lemon

Instructions

 

• Heat a large pan with 3 tbsp of oil. Add half of the sliced onions and fry for 4 minutes until softened.
• In the meantime, in a large frying pan (you may need to use two frying pans or see Tip at the bottom of the recipe), heat 2 tbsp of oil. Tip in diced butternut squash and scatter the remaining sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper. Fry on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until butternut squash is soft, slightly browned and the onions are crispy.
• Whilst butternut squash is cooking, continue preparing your dahl. To the frying pan with onions, add turmeric, chopped garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant.
• Add rinsed red lentils, crumble in stock cubes, pour in a tin (400ml) of coconut milk, a tin (400g) of chopped tomatoes and 200ml of water. Mix well and cover with a lid. Simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes until all the stock is absorbed and lentils are cooked. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
• Take off the heat, stir in spinach and juice of ½ a lemon.
• Serve dahl in bowls, topped with fried butternut squash cubes and crispy red onion. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Notes

TIP: if you are doubling the recipe or don’t have any large frying pans, you can roast butternut squash and red onion in the oven. Just spread your diced squash on baking trays, scatter sliced red onion, drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper and give it a quick mix. Cook at 180°C for 20 minutes, but keep an eye on it, as your onions can burn very quickly in the oven. 

TIP 2: This meal freezes very well and you can simply defrost and reheat it in a microwave, so go on an make a big batch!

Nutrition

Calories: 582kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 24gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 542mgPotassium: 2012mgFiber: 28gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 18540IUVitamin C: 79mgCalcium: 219mgIron: 12mg

Keyword Butternut Squash Daal, Butternut Squash Dahl, Butternut Squash Dal, Dahl Recipe, Dahl with Butternut Squash, Red Lentil Dahl

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