This beautifully warming squash dal is the perfect winter warmer. It’s sweet, spicy and earthy–a lovely combination. Served with a creamy cucumber mint dip.
Jump to Recipe
The squash is both cooked into the dal so that its gooey and melts into the lentils, and roasted so that it becomes caramelised and delicious.
I’ve topped the dal with the roast squash, fresh and creamy cucumber mint dip and fresh mint. I love to add toasted sunflower seeds for crunch.
I really hope you like this lovely dish–serve with slaw and flatbreads.
Love, Niki xxx
This beautifully warming squash dal is the perfect winter warmer. It’s sweet, spicy and earthy–a lovely combination. Served with a creamy cucumber mint dip.
Prep time: 15 minutes mins
Cook time: 1 hour hr
2-4 servings
5 from 1 vote
Ingredients
For the roast squash
- 1/2 butternut squash peeled and chopped into small cubes
- Drizzle olive oil
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
For the dal
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 large onion–roughly chopped
- 1 knob ginger grated
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/2 squash peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 300 g cherry tomatoes chopped roughly
- 200 g red lentils rinsed
- 700 ml water
- 4 tbsp coconut cream or yogurt
- 1-2 tsp sea salt
- Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
For the cucumber dip
- 1/2 cucumber grated
- 120 g coconut yogurt
- 4 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- Juice 1/4 lemon
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Twist black pepper
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil–optional
- Toppings
- Fresh Coriander and mint
- Chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp toasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
To roast the squash
Pre heat your oven to 180c
Add half the chopped squash on a baking tray and coat in olive oil, salt and pepper.
Bake for 45-50 minutes until soft in the middle and caramelised on the outside. Remove when cooked.
Reserve to top the dal.
To make the dal
First, add the oil to a large frying pan and heat to a medium heat. Add in the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add in the cumin seeds, coriander, turmeric, curry leaves and chilli flakes.
Stir for a few seconds, then add the onion. Fry for approx 8-10 minutes on a low to medium heat until soft and browning.
Add in the garlic, ginger and the remaining squash and stir for another 3-4 minutes,
Now add the lentils, tomatoes and water. Stir well, then turn down the heat and put the lid on the pan.
Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed. The squash should be soft.
Stir in the coconut yogurt.
Season well.
To make the cucumber dip
Grate the cucumber and pop it into a large seize to drain over a bowl. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible then transfer to a large bowl.
Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
Really nice, with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
To serve
Top with roast squash and cucumber dip.
Sprinkle with coriander and mint.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
If you recreate this recipe, tag me on Instagram:@rebelrecipes or #rebelrecipes for a chance to be featured.
More Recipes with Butternut Squash or Cucumbers
Mushroom Souvlaki with Tzatziki and Za’atar Flatbread
Roast Squash, Caramelised Onion and Pesto Tarts
Baked Squash with Chestnut Nut Roast Stuffing
Butternut Squash Hasselbacks with Indian spices
Discuss this Recipe with Niki
7 Responses
would you make this for guests that aren’t vegan ?
Reply
Yes I think so! x
Reply
I would for sure xx
Reply
I made this tonight, was really yum. Cucumbers and Mint are really expensive atm so I just topped it with plain yogurt and some green tomato chutney. I also used low sodium veggie stock instead of water to cook the daal. My meat-eating husband really enjoyed it so thats a good sign 🙂Reply
Hi Laura
So happy you liked it. Great additions.
Much love, Niki xxxReply
Do leftovers freeze?
Reply
Hi Mimi
Yes really well.
Love
Niki xxxReply
Buy Me a Coffee
If you’ve enjoyed using my recipes, I’d love you to support my blog.
I’ll be cooking up a plateful of super-delicious vegan recipes here over the coming months.
To support my work, promote the vegan message far and wide, and of course help keep Dill in kittie food, you can buy me a coffee here.
Thank you, and much love, Niki xxx
(Payments via Ko-Fi are processed by Stripe, a global payments platform certified to the the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry.)
Cookie Consent
Our website uses cookies to provide the necessary website functionality, improve your experience and analyse our traffic. By Clicking "Accept", you agree to our Privacy Policy and cookies usage. Not consenting or withdrawing consent may adversely affect certain features and functions.
FunctionalAlways active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage optionsManage servicesManage vendorsRead more about these purposes
View preferences
{title}{title}{title}
Get my Free Top 5 Recipes using Herbs eBook...
Privacy Policy
