Butternut Squash, Coconut, and Lentil Stew

Recipe by: UltimoDragonQuest Uploaded by Drimble Wedge

• 1 cup yellow split pigeon peas (toor dal)
• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 Roma tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or dried shredded coconut (we used large flake dried coconut)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 cups vegetable stock or water, or enough to cover
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (we used Aleppo chili flakes)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon agave
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

1. Rinse the pigeon peas in a couple changes of water.

2. In a large soup pot, combine the squash, drained pigeon peas, tomato, coconut, turmeric, cumin, and enough stock to cover. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Remove the cover and simmer another 10 minutes.

3. In a small skillet, warm the canola oil until shimmering. Add the mustard seeds and when they stop popping, add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt. Swirl the skillet so the contents cook evenly, and cook another 10 seconds. Then pour the contents of the skillet into the soup, along with the salt. Spoon a ladleful of soup back into the skillet (it will sizzle, be careful!), and pour back into the soup pot. Finish with the agave, lime juice, and cilantro. Adjust the seasonings, to taste.

Serves 6.

This is really good but do not substitute yellow split peas! Maybe you could soak them before cooking but they did not cook well at all for me. The correct sub is apparently split lentils.

I didn't add the cilantro because cilantro is terrible.

Comments by dino.

If you are subbing out yellow split peas, do soak them for 3 hours, and cook them separately. They'll be just fine. Barring that, use red lentils. Those things are fucking MAGIC. They cook up in 20 minutes, even with tomatoes in the pot! You can add acid, salt, whatever, and they'll still cook up perfectly. This is an interesting twist on a classic daal tarka, which is split peas, cooked until they're soft, then spiced really quick with something or other. Good show!

If you want some serious coconut flavour, don't cook the coconut with the daal; cook it with the spices. After adding the garlic, add the coconut, and stir through until it gets light brown, and toasty. The entire house will fill with the delicious aroma of coconut, and you'll really taste it in the final dish. It seems a shame to go and procure coconut, only to have it disappear in the final dish. Else, don't cook it so long. Coconut just needs a few bare minutes over lowest heat to get cooked, but still stand out. You either cook it not at all, or cook it until it's toasted and browned.

If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can use either chive, parsley, basil, or scallion, and get the same effect. You essentially need that bite of raw herb in there to bring some brightness to an otherwise brooding and earthy dish.