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This could come as a surprise to many readers, but I do not particularly enjoy of dal. Only a couple of versions that I enjoyed, and each were made by my mother: one with lime and coconut, the other a slow-cooked black lentils with rich cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has joined my hall of fame. And the secret? Blitzing it until very smooth, then topping with baked pumpkin and moreish chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my regular menu.

Citrus Lentils with Roast Squash and Chilli Cashews

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 minutes
Serves 2

600 grams butternut squash flesh, cut into 1-centimeter cubes
One tablespoon light-tasting oil
Flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
One tsp cumin powder
150g red split lentils, rinsed well
1 clove of garlic, peeled
Half teaspoon turmeric powder
Juice of 1-2 limes, to taste
One teaspoon dairy butter
Chopped fresh coriander, to serve

For the Chilli Cashews

60 grams cashews
One teaspoon light oil, or olive oil
¼ tsp chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan)/425°F/gas 7. Place the diced pumpkin, oil, a teaspoon of sea salt, and the ground coriander and cumin into a roasting tin large enough to hold all the veg in one layer, and mix well to cover. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and starting to catch at the edges.

At the same time, put the lentils in a large pan with 500 milliliters recently boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric, and bring to a boil. Partially cover, lower the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are soft.

Combine the nuts, cooking oil, chilli flakes and a big pinch of salt in a small baking tray. When the squash has eight minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the same oven; by the time the pumpkin is done, the cashews ought to be perfectly roasted.

Whisk the dal and season with lime juice and sea salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of each: think of the dal as a completely blank canvas (I used the juice from two limes and I’m embarrassed to say 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 level, is to blitz the dal (and the garlic) in batches in a high-speed blender. Taste again – it should be perfect.

Divide the dal between two bowls, top with the roast squash and chilli cashews, scatter over the coriander and serve hot with steamed rice and/or flatbreads.