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It might come as a surprise to many cooks, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. Only a couple of versions that I liked, and each were prepared by my mum: a citrus-coconut variety, the other a long-simmered black dal with cream. But now a new quick-cook dal has made it into my hall of fame. And the key? Blitzing it until perfectly creamy, then topping with baked pumpkin and addictive spiced nuts. It’s a revelation 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 pumpkin cubes, cut into 1cm pieces
One tbsp neutral or olive oil
Sea salt flakes
One tsp ground cilantro
One teaspoon ground cumin
150 grams red lentils, thoroughly washed
One garlic clove, peeled
Half tsp turmeric powder
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, to taste
One tsp dairy butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, to serve

For the Chilli Cashews

60g cashews
One tsp neutral oil, or olive oil
A quarter tsp red pepper flakes

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

At the same time, place the lentils in a big pot with 500ml just-boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Partially cover, lower the heat and cook gently, mixing now and then, for 20 to 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 squash has 8 minutes left, place the nut tray in the same oven; by the time the pumpkin is done, the cashews ought to be perfectly roasted.

Whisk the dal and flavor 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!). Keep adjusting and sampling until you’re satisfied with the seasoning, then stir in the butter.

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

Portion the lentils between two dishes, top with the roast squash and chilli cashews, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot with steamed rice and/or breads.