Butternut squash dhal with eggs and crispy onions
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 12 curry leaves
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 250g red lentils
- 400g butternut squash, peeled and coarsely grated
- 400ml tin light coconut milk
- 600ml vegetable stock
- 6 tbsp ready-made crispy onions
- 6 large eggs
- warmed chapatis, to serve
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large pan over a low heat and cook the onions and garlic for 10 minutes or until softened. When they’re just turning golden, increase the heat, add the curry leaves and cook for another minute. Add the spices and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, then stir in the lentils, butternut squash, coconut milk, stock and 2 tbsp of the crispy onions.
- STEP 2
Bring the dal to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring the bottom of the pan regularly, until the lentils are really soft and breaking down, and the dal thickened. If it gets too thick or starts to catch, splash in a little water.
- STEP 3
While the dal is cooking, prepare the jammy eggs. Half fill a very large pan with water and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat. Carefully lower in the eggs and, keeping a gentle boil, cook for 6½ minutes. Quickly put the eggs into a bowl of cold water and leave for 3 minutes, drain, then peel.
- STEP 4
Season the dal, then divide between 4 shallow bowls. Halve the eggs and top each portion with three egg halves and 1 tbsp of crispy onions. Serve with warm chapatis on the side.
