Name: Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentil Daal
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: serves 4 people
Ingredients: 160 g dry red or green lentils (soaked in water at least 2h before cooking) (3/4 cup); 1 onion; 2 cloves of garlic; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 1 green chili; 1 tsp ground curry (optional); freshly squeezed juice of half a lime; 80 g crushed tomatoes (3/8 cup or 2.6 oz); 200 g coconut milk (3/4 cups or 7 oz); 1 kg butternut squash (35 oz); 120 g cooked chickpeas (1/2 cup / 4.2 oz); 2 cloves of garlic; 80 g crushed tomatoes (3/8 cup or 2.6 oz); 1 tbsp olive oil; 100 g stale white bread, cut on cubes (3.5 oz); 1 handful fresh parsley or coriander; freshly squeezed juice of half a lime; 2 tbsp coconut oil; 2 cloves of garlic; 1 tsp sesame seeds; 1 tsp black sesame seeds; 1 tbsp peanuts; 150 g greek yogurt (1/2 cup / 5.2 oz); 1 handful fresh parsley or coriander; Skillet flatbread

Stuffed Butternut Squash with Lentil Daal

Do you guys love Indian cuisine? What’s your favorite Indian dish? Today’s dish is inspired by two divine things. Number one, my mum’s beautiful, homegrown butternut squash, that are not only delicious but super photogenic too. And number two, Indian treat called Daal (or Dal, Dahl, Dalh) which is basically an incredibly tasty lentil stew with aromatic spices and herb. A lot of times Daal is served with flatbread or naan and it’s usually cooked on a stove, but we figured why not make it in the oven, while also baking our butternut squash. The result was phenomenal and rich in flavor. We stuffed the butternut squash with chickpeas, tomatoes and stale bread. Also, we stuffed only half of the squash, because we love the baked flesh on itself, but you can also go and stuff the whole thing as well. Serve with coconut oil, garlic, yogurt, peanuts and sesame. Result? An incredibly aromatic, tasty and healthy dish. However, this dish is also very rich and it keeps you full and satisfied for quite so time, so we served one half of the stuffed squash to two people. Perfect for a midweek or weekend lunch / dinner and also makes a great vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas or other big event in fall / winter time. Tasty, healthy and pretty simple to make. Definitely worth making at home.

Ingredients

Lentil Daal

160 g dry red or green lentils (soaked in water at least 2h before cooking) (3/4 cup)

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 green chili

1 tsp ground curry (optional)

freshly squeezed juice of half a lime

80 g crushed tomatoes (3/8 cup or 2.6 oz)

200 g coconut milk (3/4 cups or 7 oz)

Stuffed Butternut Squash

1 kg butternut squash (35 oz)

120 g cooked chickpeas (1/2 cup / 4.2 oz)

2 cloves of garlic

80 g crushed tomatoes (3/8 cup or 2.6 oz)

1 tbsp olive oil

100 g stale white bread, cut on cubes (3.5 oz)

1 handful fresh parsley or coriander

freshly squeezed juice of half a lime

Serve

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp black sesame seeds

1 tbsp peanuts

150 g greek yogurt (1/2 cup / 5.2 oz)

1 handful fresh parsley or coriander

Skillet flatbread

Tools and equipment

baking dish (approx. 40 x 30 cm / 16 x 12 inch)

pestle and mortar

baking paper

aluminum foil

large bowl

pan

METHOD

Soak lentils

Place your lentils in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for at least two hours, ideally overnight.
Prepare daal and paste

Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 430 °F. Drain the lentils. Chop the onion. Place both in a baking dish (approx. 40 x 30 cm / 16 x 12 inch). Add turmeric, cumin, garlic, sliced ginger, coriander seeds, salt, pepper and lime juice to a mortar, then crush into a fine paste with the pestle. Add the fine paste and crushed tomatoes to the lentils in a baking dish. Stir to combine. Pour in 500 ml (2 1/4 cups) of water and coconut milk. Stir to combine.
Bake the butternut squash and Daal

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Place the squash halves, cut sides facing downwards into a baking dish on top of the lentils. First cover everything tightly with the baking paper, then cover again with two layers of aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for about 45 - 50 minutes at 220 °C / 430 °F.
Prepare the stuffing

Add the cooked chickpeas and lime juice to a large bowl. Add the chopped parsley, thinly sliced garlic, crushed tomatoes and stale bread, cut on small chunks. Season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
Bake the Stuffed Butternut Squash

Remove the lentils and Butternut Squash from the oven. Remove the aluminum foil and baking paper. Carefully turn the butternut squash using two spoons so that the cut sides face upwards. Fill the squash with the stuffing. Place bake in the oven and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes at 220 °C / 430 °F.
Serve

Add coconut oil and thinly sliced garlic to a pan and place over medium - low heat. Cook the garlic for about a minute or until golden. In a bowl, stir to combine yogurt with turmeric. Serve the stuffed butternut squash with lentil daal. Drizzle with coconut oil and garlic mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, chopped peanuts and chopped parsley or coriander. Then add a generous dollop of yogurt and turmeric mixture on top. Optionally you can also serve with flatbread or naan. Enjoy.