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This could be unexpected to many cooks, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. Only a couple of versions that I liked, and both were made by my mother: one with lime and coconut, the other a long-simmered black dal 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 roast squash and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a game-changer that’s now on my weekly rotation.

Lime Dal with Roast Squash and Chilli Cashews

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

600 grams butternut squash flesh, diced into 1-centimeter pieces
1 tablespoon light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
150 grams red lentils, rinsed well
One garlic clove, skin removed
½ tsp turmeric
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, as preferred
One teaspoon butter
Chopped fresh coriander, to serve

For the Spiced Nuts

60 grams cashew nuts
1 tsp light oil, or extra virgin olive oil
A quarter teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425°F/gas 7. Tip the cubed squash, 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 mix well to coat. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown.

At the same time, put the lentils in a large pan with 500ml recently boiled water, the garlic clove and the turmeric spice, and bring to a boil. Cover partly, lower the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils have softened.

Combine the nuts, cooking oil, chilli and a big pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the pumpkin has eight minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the same oven; by the time the squash is ready, the cashews ought to be perfectly roasted.

Stir the lentils and season with lime juice and sea salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of both: think of 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 seasoning, then add the butter.

My final step, which elevates this meal to the next level, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic clove) in portions in a powerful blender. Taste again – it should be perfect.

Divide the dal between two bowls, top with the baked pumpkin and chilli cashews, sprinkle with the coriander and enjoy warm with rice and/or flatbreads.