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Slowly moving my way into fall recipes with this harvest tomato and butternut squash dahl.
With the official start of autumn being just over a week away, I canโt deny my excitement is through the roofโฆbut you all know this, because I literally cannot stop talking about it.
Sorryโฆbut then really, I canโt help myself.
This is one of those recipes that Iโve been planning for a while now. Way back at the beginning of the summer I really wanted to make an Indian dal, but the recipe and ingredients just felt a little too warm and cozy for a summer dinner. Me, being me, I decided to wait until the recipe felt seasonally right, and now is the time to finally tell you all about it.
Hip, hip, hooray!
Itโs kind of hard to believe that this is my first dal recipe, but Iโm pretty pumped about it. It was actually my cousin Abby who first gave me the idea to make a Dal, after returning from India this past winter. She raved about all the curries sheโd had and said the Red Lentil Dal was especially delicious.
If youโre new to dal, itโs an Indian style red lentil curry dish. It can be made many different ways, but I believe using red lentils is the most traditional way. Itโs a mix of slowly cooked lentils with curry style spices and finished with a drizzle of spicy oil drizzled over top.
Most Dals are made with a mix of vegetables like onions, garlic, chillies, and or carrots, but I decided to use up the last of my cherry tomatoes and the very first of my butternut squash. Itโs the perfect combo of summer meets autumn and trust me it is so good.
The best part? This dal is quick and easy to make. Everything gets mixed up in one pot and simmered on the stove for about thirty minutes. While thatโs happening make a quick spicy tomato oil out of coconut oil, herbs, spices, and cherry tomatoes. Cook up some rice and warm some naan breadsโฆvery important. You need rice and naan with all curry style recipes. Obviously.
Serve the dal over a bowl rice and then drizzle the spicy oil overtop. Add a little cilantro and maybe a few pomegranate arils, if youโre into pomegranates, which I totally am.
And then DONE. Dinner in under an hour and itโs also completely vegan, which I only just now realized now. Cool. Cool.
OKAY, soooo thatโs that on this delicious recipe, but ummm I have other things to scream at you all aboutโฆ
YOU GUYS!
Speaking of things I cannot stop talking aboutโฆwow, everyoneโs comments on yesterdayโs postย aboutย the Half Baked Harvest cookbook have me smiling from ear to ear. Seeing all of you who ordered the book or went out and bought the book yesterday!? Ahh!! Just in shock, and filled with happiness and amazement.
I really cannot believe it.
Basically at this point in time I am just one giant ball of happy over here today. I canโt believe Iโm even mentioning this, but my birthday is Friday and there could not have been a better early birthday present. Thank you all! If I could send you cookies or give you all hugs I honestly would be doing so right now. Since I canโt do that, be sure to continue to follow along with all the Instagram giveaways this week, and donโt forget to enter yesterdayโs giveawayย as well.
Again, thank you guys so much for all of your support. It means the world to me and my little itty, bitty, HBH team. Hopefully more big things to come!
In the meantime, letโs cozy up to this autumn inspired Dalโฆ
Harvest Tomato and Butternut Squash Dal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon yellow curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons curry paste
- 1 cup red lentils
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
- kosher salt
- handful fresh cilantro, chopped
- naan, rice, and pomegranate, for serving
Spiced Oil
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or sesame oil
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ginger and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and red pepper flakes and cook another minute. Slowly add the water. Add the curry paste, lentils, butternut, and 1 cup tomatoes. Season generously with salt. Bring the mix to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the tomatoes have burst.2. Meanwhile, make the spiced oil. Heat the coconut oil, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, and the remaining 1/2 cup of tomatoes in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook until the spices are fragrant and the tomatoes have burst, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. 3. Remove the dal from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Taste and season with salt if needed. 4. To serve, spoon the dal over bowls of rice. Top as desired with cilantro, spiced oil, and pomegranates. Serve with Naan on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Maybe paired with a dessert from theย cookbook!
I love your recipes and have all your books.
Please can you identify which book the recipe is in, then I can pull the book to use it, versus the phone? Iโm โ old schoolโ and love cookery books! I then add comments and additions to the page!
Thanks so much for your kind message, Ruth!! This recipe is only on the blog:) So sorry about that!