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It might be unexpected to some 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 lentils with cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has joined my hall of fame. And the key? Pureeing it until perfectly creamy, then serving with baked pumpkin and addictive chilli cashews. It’s a game-changer that’s now on my weekly rotation.

Lime Dal with Roast Squash and Spicy Nuts

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves 2

600 grams pumpkin cubes, cut into 1cm cubes
1 tbsp neutral or olive oil
Flaky sea salt
1 tsp ground cilantro
1 tsp cumin powder
150g red lentils, rinsed well
One garlic clove, peeled
½ tsp turmeric powder
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, to taste
1 teaspoon dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, for garnish

For the Spiced Nuts

60g cashews
One teaspoon neutral oil, or olive oil
A quarter tsp chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/mark 7. Place the diced pumpkin, cooking oil, a teaspoon of sea salt, and the ground coriander and cumin spice into a roasting tin big enough to hold all the vegetables in a single layer, and mix well to cover. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and beginning to brown.

Meanwhile, place the lentils in a big pot with 500ml recently boiled water, the garlic clove and the turmeric, and heat until boiling. Partially cover, lower the heat and cook gently, mixing now and then, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Combine the nuts, oil, chilli flakes and a generous pinch of salt in a small baking 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 citrus juice and sea salt to taste. You will need a good amount of each: think of the dal as a completely blank canvas (I added the juice of two limes and I hate to admit how much salt!). Keep adjusting and sampling until you’re happy with the seasoning, then stir in the butter.

My final step, which elevates this meal to the next stage, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic) in batches in a high-speed blender. Taste again – it should be perfect.

Portion the lentils between two bowls, top with the roast squash and chilli cashews, sprinkle with the coriander and enjoy warm with steamed rice and/or flatbreads.