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It might come as a surprise to many readers, but I am not a fan of dal. There were just two types that I liked, 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 key? 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.

Citrus Lentils with Baked Pumpkin and Chilli Cashews

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

600 grams butternut squash flesh, diced into 1-centimeter pieces
One tablespoon neutral or olive oil
Flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cilantro
One teaspoon ground cumin
150g red lentils, thoroughly washed
One clove of garlic, peeled
Half teaspoon turmeric powder
Juice of 1-2 limes, as preferred
One teaspoon dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, for garnish

For the Spiced Nuts

60 grams cashews
One tsp light oil, or extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/425°F/mark 7. Tip the cubed squash, oil, a teaspoon of sea salt, and the coriander powder and cumin spice into a baking tray big enough to hold all the vegetables in a single layer, and toss thoroughly to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until tender and starting to catch at the edges.

Meanwhile, place the lentils in a big pot with 500 milliliters recently boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric spice, and bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce the heat and simmer, mixing now and then, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Mix the cashews, oil, chilli flakes and a generous pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the squash has eight minutes left, place the nut tray in the oven alongside; by the time the pumpkin is done, the cashews ought to be perfectly roasted.

Whisk the dal and season with lime juice and salt to taste. You will need a good amount of each: consider the dal as a totally neutral base (I used the juice from two limes and I hate to admit how much salt!). Continue tweaking and sampling until you’re satisfied with the seasoning, then stir in the butter.

My final step, which takes this dish to the next stage, is to puree the lentils (and the garlic) in portions in a high-speed blender. Taste again – it should be perfect.

Portion the lentils between two bowls, top with the baked pumpkin and spiced nuts, sprinkle with the cilantro and enjoy warm with steamed rice and/or breads.