Warming Dahl
Ingredients
For the dhal base
1 & 1/2 cups / 300 g red lentils
4 cups / 1lite water
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
1 cup / 150 g finely chopped onion
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small fresh chilli, sliced
1 cup / 200 g chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned)
½ tsp turmeric (additional)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground fenugreek
For the squash topping
3 cups / 400 g squash, peeled and cubed
For the temper
1/2 cup / 125ml ml oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
10–12 leaves fresh curry leaves
1 dried chilli
Method
Add the red lentils, water, turmeric, and salt to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once bubbling, turn the heat down and let them simmer gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and starting to break down into a creamy texture.
While the lentils cook, heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic with a small pinch of salt and cook for about 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until everything is soft, golden, and sweet. Add the fresh chilli and tomatoes and cook for another 5–7 minutes, until thick and saucy.
Stir in all the spices and cook them for about 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. Tip in the cooked lentils, mix well, season to taste, and let the dhal bubble gently for another 5–10 minutes until thick, rich, and creamy.
At the same time, steam the squash cubes for 8–10 minutes until just tender, then spread them on a baking tray and roast at 200°C / 400°F for 20–25 minutes until caramelised and golden at the edges.
To make the temper, heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat for about 1 minute until hot. Add the mustard seeds and fennel seeds — they will start to pop after a few seconds. As soon as they do, add the curry leaves and chilli and let everything sizzle for 20–30 seconds until very fragrant. Immediately spoon this hot, spiced oil over the finished dhal just before serving for a final hit of flavour.
