This recipe is a total stonker. With a good kick of chilli it’s just the ticket for a windy weeknight. ‘Onion textures’ sound a little more posh than they need to - it just means some nice crunchy onions to add a bit of textural contrast to your dal. To make them really crispy, get the oil nice and hot and don’t overcrowd the pan. If they have a bit of space to cook then they'll fry well (instead of stewing), which will give you a perfect finish. Enjoy!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
300
Butternut Squash
1
Curry Powder Mix
½
Onion
½
Red Chilli
2
Vine Tomatoes
½
Coriander
1
Vegetable Stock Pot
(Contains Celery, Sulphites)
200
Coconut Milk
100
Red Split Lentils
16
Plain Flour
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
2
Flatbread
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
15
Pumpkin Seeds
50
Water
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthways (no need to peel) and scoop out the seeds. Slice it widthways to about 1cm wide slices (we want to be able to cook this nice and quickly). Now chop it into 1cm cubes. Pop your butternut squash on a baking tray and pour over a good glug of olive oil. Sprinkle over half the curry powder and season with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Roast in your oven on the top shelf for 25 mins, until golden and cooked through. Turn once halfway through to ensure your squash cooks evenly.
Cut the onion in half through the root, peel and slice thinly into half moon shapes. Cut the chilli in half lengthways, remove the seeds and finely chop. Chop the tomato into 2cm chunks. Roughly chop the coriander.
Boil the water (amount specified in the ingredient list). Heat a splash of oil in a saucepan on medium heat and once hot, add as much red chilli as you dare. Now add the rest of the curry powder. After 1 minute, add your tomato and cook for 1 minute more.
Add your boiling water, the vegetable stock pot and coconut milk to your tomato mixture. Rinse the red lentils under water for 1 minute then add them too. Leave on a gentle simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally to check your lentils don't catch on the bottom of your pan. This is your dal!
Separate your onion slices. Toss them in the flour with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper. Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan on high heat until really hot. Fry your onion until crispy, then remove to kitchen paper.
Warm the flatbreads in your oven for 3-4 mins. Remove from your oven, add a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of coriander.
Once your dal has thickened, taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper if necessary. Stir through your remaining coriander. Serve in big bowls with your roasted butternut squash, onion textures and pumpkin seeds stacked on top. Mop up with a hunk of flatbread.