Butternut Squash Dahl

Butternut Squash Dahl is a comforting and nutritious dish that combines the earthy flavours of lentils with the sweet, creamy texture of roasted butternut squash. This recipe is packed with vitamins and fibre and a blend of warming spices. Offering a delightful twist on a traditional dahl making it perfect for the start of autumn.

4 portions 

Preparation time: 50 minutes

If you can, use organic ingredients for this recipe. Although we are unsure whether eating organic food reduces breast cancer risk, organic food contains less pesticide residue. We know that certain pesticides are linked to breast cancer risk, so we recommend eating organic food whenever possible. Read more on pesticides here.
 

Ingredients:  

1 tbsp olive oil

2 onions – finely chopped

3 garlic cloves – finely chopped

2 tsp curry powder

2 tsp ginger

1tsp ground cumin

1tsp turmeric

1 butternut squash – peeled, deseeded, and chopped into small chunks

400g fresh tomatoes – chopped

200g red lentils

600ml (2 1/2 cups) vegetable stock

400ml (1 tin) coconut milk

Salt and pepper

For serving: cooked rice, yoghurt, fresh coriander

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, for around 5 minutes. Add the garlic and the spices (curry powder, ginger, cumin, turmeric) and cook for a further 1 minute until fragrant.
2. Add the butternut squash, chopped tomatoes, red lentils, vegetable stock and coconut milk. Stir well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with a lid on for about 30 minutes or until the squash is tender and the lentils are cooked. Stir occasionally.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with cooked rice and topped with yoghurt and some chopped fresh coriander.

Why this Butternut Squash Dahl is good for you  

Lentils are rich in fibre, and a diet high in fibre is associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer.

Butternut squash and tomatoes is a good source of carotenoids, which are responsible for the bright red, yellow, orange and purple colours of certain fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids act as antioxidants for humans and may reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Enjoyed this Butternut Squash Dahl recipe and are craving more recipes like this? Download Breast Cancer UK’s brand new recipe e-book ‘Organic Flavours’ for free What are you waiting for? Let’s get cooking!