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This could be unexpected to some cooks, but I am not a fan of dal. Only a couple of types that I enjoyed, and each were made by my mother: one with lime and coconut, the other a slow-cooked black dal with cream. But now a third quick-cook dal has made it into my favorites list. And the secret? Pureeing it until perfectly creamy, then serving with baked pumpkin and moreish chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my weekly rotation.

Citrus Lentils with Baked Pumpkin and Spicy Nuts

Prep 15 minutes
Cook 30 min
Serves two

600 grams pumpkin cubes, cut into 1cm pieces
One tbsp neutral or olive oil
Flaky sea salt
One teaspoon ground cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
150 grams red lentils, thoroughly washed
1 clove of garlic, skin removed
Half teaspoon turmeric powder
Lime juice from 1-2 fruits, to taste
One teaspoon butter
Fresh cilantro leaves, to serve

For the Chilli Cashews

60g cashew nuts
1 teaspoon light oil, or extra virgin olive oil
A quarter teaspoon chilli flakes

Heat 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 baking tray big enough to hold all the vegetables in a single layer, and toss thoroughly to cover. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and starting to catch at the edges.

At the same time, place the lentils in a large pan with 500ml recently boiled water, the garlic and the turmeric, and bring to a boil. Cover partly, lower the heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils have softened.

Mix the cashews, cooking oil, chilli and a generous pinch of salt in a small oven tray. When the squash has eight minutes left, pop the cashew tray in the same oven; by the time the squash is ready, the cashews ought to be perfectly roasted.

Stir the lentils and flavor with lime juice and sea salt to taste. You will need quite a lot of both: think of the dal as a completely blank canvas (I added the juice of two limes and I’m embarrassed to say how much seasoning!). Continue tweaking and sampling until you’re happy with the seasoning, then add the butter.

The last touch, which elevates this meal to the next level, is to puree the lentils (and the garlic) in batches in a powerful blender. Sample once more – it should be perfect.

Divide the dal between two dishes, cover with the baked pumpkin and spiced nuts, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve hot with rice and/or breads.