Description
This honeynut squash dal is the perfect cozy fall dish: red lentils simmered in a sweet honeynut squash, onion, and tomato masala, then topped with ghee-tempered spices. This dal is packed with flavor and so comforting.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- Avocado oil and Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 medium honeynut squash, halved (1 heaping cup flesh or 200 g or 7.1 oz)
- 220 g (7.8 oz) diced sweet white onion
- 270 g (9.5 oz) quartered cherry or similar tomato
- 2” piece ginger, grated on a microplane (about 1 tbsp)
- 4 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 2-3 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups water, plus more as needed
- 300 g red lentils, soaked overnight, then drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp tahini for finishing + cumin butter tadka (optional)
Optional, Tadka
- 3-4 tbsp ghee or avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
- Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 450°F (typically use my toaster oven for this) and line a 1/8th or quarter sheet pan with parchment paper. Rub the squash with avocado oil and place face-down on the sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the flesh is soft and has turned a deep orange color. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- Mise en place. In parallel with the squash roasting, prep the masala ingredients. Dice the onion, dice or quarter the tomatoes, grate the garlic and ginger, and add them to a small bowl along with the cumin seeds; measure the spices and salt into another small bowl.
- Sauté the aromatics and cook the masala. Add the diced onions along with a generous drizzle of avocado oil (4-5 tbsp) to a braiser-style pot (I used my Le Creuset braiser for reference). Cook over medium-high heat, sautéing until the onions are translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds, and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic and cumin smell fragrant. Sprinkle in the spices, stir, and let bloom for 20 seconds, then add the tomatoes and stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer the masala until the tomatoes break down, about 6 minutes.
- Blend the masala. Add the cooked masala, roasted honeynut squash (200 g squash), and water to a blender, and blend on high for 45-50 seconds until smooth and creamy. Add back into the pan.
- Simmer the lentils. Add the lentils to the pan and stir into the masala. Simmer over medium-low heat, covered, for 30-35 minutes or until the lentils have thickened and are soft. Stir the dal occasionally during this time to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the lentils are cooked, stir in 1-2 tbsp of tahini for creaminess, and taste and season with salt if needed.
- Optional – Tadka. Add the ghee (or avocado oil) to a small pot or pan and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds and let fry for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat, add in the chili and turmeric, stir, and let sit for 1 minute. Spoon the tadka over the dal and stir through before serving.
- Serve. Serve the dal with white rice or roti, along with a drizzle of tahini and minced cilantro.