Desi~licious Daal With Roasted Butternut Squash

There’s nothing quite like daal. Delicious, comforting and family-friendly, it’s a healthy vegan dinner we adore. Made with yellow daal (aka, split mung daal), roasted butternut squash and infused with cumin, cinnamon, curry powder and smoked paprika. Thick, creamy and packed with flavour, enjoy as-is or pair with roti, naan, rice or quinoa. Vegan and gluten-free.

This recipe was sponsored by Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC), a charity organization that builds health, belonging, and social justice in low-income communities through the power of food. As always, all opinions are my own.

You know how excited I get about food and causes that strengthen our community. Friends, this is one of those occasions and one that strikes a deep and personal chord.

It’s no secret that food insecurity is a silent virus in Canada — it doesn’t grab the limelight, yet it affects millions of Canadians. And it’s one I’ve experienced. I can tell you that not being able to put food on my plate — during a time when I was studying food and nutrition — felt humiliating and depressing. The irony of the situation was rather cruel. And during those desperate times, I couldn’t share my shame story with anyone. 

Growing up in a low-income household meant that nutritious food was limited. But that was simply one obstacle affecting our quality of life. Not having sufficient resources had far-reaching consequences. I resented how my parents were always on edge, losing sleep over money problems and worrying about making ends meet. No wonder it took a toll on our health. 

Share Food Change Lives

As it turns out, poverty and food insecurity are associated with various physical and mental health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, anxiety, depression, and a lower sense of community belonging. Like me, you may be disturbed to hear that on a societal level, poverty is estimated to cost Canadians $72 to $85 billion per year (Community Food Centres Canada).

The good news is that numerous chronic health conditions correlated with poverty and food insecurity can be prevented or improved through diet and lifestyle modifications. It’s no secret that people who feel more connected to their communities have lower anxiety and depression and higher rates of self-esteem. 

This year, I’m beyond delighted to support the #BigSocial, by CFCC. It’s a national event that connects people through food and raises funds for low-income communities. In addition to the remarkable work done by CFCC, their vision is rooted in purpose, hope and courage. I truly admire how their innovative programs run hand in hand with low-income communities, empowering people to engage in the solution. 

Friends, I share my story of food insecurity because I, too, like Brene Brown, believe that “courage has a ripple effect and every time we choose courage, we make everyone around us a little better and the world a little braver.”

Your support is needed more than ever: during this unprecedented time, 1 in 7 people are experiencing food insecurity, and with an uncertain economic recovery, this is bound to increase. Let’s continue to be there for our friends and our neighbours — everyone who is experiencing food insecurity at new and devastating levels.

Learn more about #TheBigSocial and donate here. And for your donation to this worthy cause, I will gift you with a meal plan of your choice from my shop. Here’s how you can make a difference.:

1. Donate here
2. Choose any meal plan from here.
3. Send me an email at [email protected] telling me the meal plan you want along with your receipt of donation.

When I was growing up, one of the greatest pleasures of my life was food. It was the instrument that bought joy and connection with my beloved mother. And exploring recipes was the very best kind of adventure for us. 

Although lentils weren’t everyone’s cup of tea, honestly, I could never get enough of lentil recipes. There was just something special about cozying up to a bowl of creamy, dreamy daal curry. It bought great comfort. Not to mention, it was filling and luscious — with hot and soft rotis.

How To Make Mung Daal With Roasted Butternut Squash – Step By Step

1. Preheat the oven to roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Start by preparing the butternut squash. Peel, deseed and cut into medium cubes (Image 1). 
3. Coat the cubes with oil, spices and salt and send them to roast (Image 2).
4. Rinse the yellow daal until the water runs clear. In a large pot, add the drained mung daal along with 8 cups of water (Image 3). Bring to boil uncovered on high heat, then simmer on medium heat for 18-20 minutes. Keep a close eye as it may overflow. Discard any white foam that appears on the surface.
5. Now it’s time to prepare the daal tarka (Image 4). Start by tempering the whole spices. In a small pan, fry cumin, cinnamon and bay leaves. Once the spices release their beautiful aroma, add onion, garlic and ginger and fry until lightly golden. 
6. Stir in the thick tomato sauce. I use passata, which is perfect for this. Now follow with the remaining spices and cook for a couple of minutes (Image 5). Turn off the heat and set aside.
7. Right about now, the daal and the butternut squash will be cooked (Images 6-7)
8. Add the roasted butternut squash to the daal along with the daal tarka and stir to combine well (Images 8-9).
9. Finish with salt, chillies, lime juice and cilantro (Image 10). Don’t forget to use fresh cilantro as it exudes a wonderful aroma in this dish. This serves splendidly with just about anything – roti, naan, rice, quinoa.

Desi~licious Top Tips

• Cut the butternut squash similar in size. That way, they cook evenly.
• Make sure you don’t pile the butternut squash cubes on top of one another; otherwise, they will steam rather than roast. Give them space, and they’ll roast beautifully.
• Be careful not to burn the whole spices during the tempering process.
• Use thick passata; otherwise, it will be too runny.
• The fresher the cilantro, the more the flavour!
• You can adjust the spice and salt to your needs. We’re used to adding less salt and spices in our recipes.

Nutrition Spotlight

For our family, this mung daal recipe makes seven servings. We enjoy it with a side salad and/or roti. 

In a serving:

Daal calories – under 300

Fat Daily Value (DV): 8%

Protein Daily Value (DV): 32%

Carbohydrates Daily Value (DV): 17%

This yellow daal recipe is:

• An excellent source of fibre
• Lower in fat
• An excellent source of vitamin A
• An excellent source of iron
• A good source of vitamin C

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

More Easy And Healthy Desi Dishes You May Like:

1. Easy Handvo Recipe (Indian Vegetable Cake)
2. Indian Shepherd’s Pie (Vegan)
3. Vegan Tikka Masala
4. Indian Butter Chicken

What’s your sentimental family recipe? Share in the comment section below!

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag with #desiliciousrd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Can’t wait to see your photos.

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