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Mush is totally underrated, in my humble opinion. Sometimes, I just want a bowl of warm, mushy nourishment. This red lentil dahl is the height of mushy nourishment: Lentils are deeply fiber rich, and deliver a mighty dose of plant protein. Paired with the sweet tenderness of butternut squash, warming ginger, and the powerful spices of Indian cuisine, there’s no chill this mush can’t thaw.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH DAHL WITH CILANTRO RAITA.
Ingredients
Dahl
- 2 cups 1-inch chunks butternut squash peeled and deseeded
- 1 cup red lentils
- 6 cups water
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼-½ inch piece ginger minced
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- ¼ tsp garam masala or all spice
- ¼ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ¼ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp ume plum vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- few dashes cayenne pepper to taste
Cilantro Raita
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tsp ume plum vinegar
- few sprigs fresh cilantro minced
Instructions
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Place coconut oil and spices in a large stock pot. Heat on medium high heat just a minute or so, until spices begin to pop. Add water and lentils, and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, add butternut squash, and simmer for 5-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed, never allowing the water level to go below the lentils. In last 20 minutes, add salt and ume plum vinegar.
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Combine raita ingredients and set aside.
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Serve everything together, in a big mushy bowl. I recommend eating with a side of steamed greens or steamed or roasted vegetables, like broccoli.