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Butternut Squash Dal

Name: Butternut Squash Dal
Prep time: 30

(9 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)

30 min prep

6 servings

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13 ingredients

Diwali is soon coming up and this week we’re celebrating Indian food and all things spiced and spicy. Dal is a real Indian comfort food and is present at every meal. It is made...

Ingredients

Dal

2 cups split red lentils picked over and well washed
2 cups butternut squash, cut into medium cubes
4 cups water
2 pieces star anise
½ inch ginger root, peeled and halved
½ teaspoon turmeric
Salt, to taste

Spiced oil

2 to 3 tablespoons ghee, butter or coconut oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced through the root
1 to 2 whole dried red chilies, or to taste
3 tablespoons torn basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

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Nutrition Facts

Calories

338 cals

Fat

11 g

Saturated Fat

5 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

2 g

Monounsaturated Fat

3 g

Carbohydrates

48 g

Sugar

3 g

Fiber

8 g

Protein

17 g

Sodium

660 mg

Directions

Put the lentils, squash, water, star anise, turmeric and ginger into a heavy pot with a lid. Bring to a boil, skimming off any scum that forms on top.
Add salt, turn the heat down to low and cover. Simmer until the lentils are soft and breaking up, and the squash is just cooked, about 25 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on the lentils as they thicken and soften. They will need stirring to stop them sticking to the bottom of the pan. When the lentils are thick and creamy looking, and the squash is cooked, remove from the heat, and discard the ginger and star anise. Cover and set aside. Add a little hot water if the mixture looks dry. Start the spiced oil.
Heat the ghee or oil in a small skillet over a medium-high heat. When it has completely melted, and starts to ripple with heat, add the cumin seeds. As soon as they start to darken, about 30 seconds, add the garlic and chili pods, cook constantly stirring. As soon as the garlic colors and the chili pods have darkened to a deep red, add the basil and cilantro. They will spit and sizzle. Cook for a minute then pour the entire contents of the skillet over the lentil-squash mixture and stir in. Serve immediately with brown basmati rice.

Chef Tips

Ghee is clarified butter. You can usually find it in the dairy section of the health food store. It also exists in a vegan version, but I prefer cooking with coconut oil when I’m not using dairy.

Dried chilies are not as hot used whole as when they are broken up. It’s the pith and seeds inside that add the extra heat.

Registered Dietitian Approved

Our recipes, articles, videos, and more content are reviewed by our Registered Dietitian Kate Ueland, MS, RD, CSO, a board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and follows the guidelines set by the Oncology Nutrition for Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., published by the Oncology Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, a professional interest group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society.