Coconut & squash dhansak
Prep
5 mins
Cook
15 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
This is my go to weeknight dinner when I need something comforting but don't have much time. Butternut squash and lentils make a naturally creamy, satisfying base that's packed with fibre, so it keeps you full without feeling heavy. The beauty of this dish is that most of the ingredients are cupboard staples or frozen, which means you can throw it together in about twenty minutes flat. A splash of coconut milk and yogurt at the end makes it feel indulgent, while the mild curry paste does all the flavour heavy lifting. Serve it with warm naan bread and you've got restaurant quality food for a fraction of the cost.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 1 tbspvegetable oil
- 500 gbutternut squash(about 1 small squash), peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks (or buy a pack of ready-prepared to save time), see tip, below left)
- 100 gfrozen chopped onions
- 14 heaped tbsp mild curry paste(we used korma)
- 400 gcan chopped tomatoes
- 400 gcan light coconut milk
- 1mini naan bread to serve
- 400 gcan lentils drained
- 200 gbag baby spinach
- 150 mlcoconut yogurt(we used Rachel’s Organic), plus extra to serve)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a large pan. Put the squash in a bowl with a splash of water. Cover with cling film and microwave on High for 10 mins or until tender. Meanwhile, add the onions to the hot oil and cook for a few mins until soft. Add the curry paste, tomatoes and coconut milk, and simmer for 10 mins until thickened to a rich sauce.
- 2
Warm the naan breads in a low oven or in the toaster. Drain any liquid from the squash, then add to the sauce with the lentils, spinach and some seasoning. Simmer for a further 2-3 mins to wilt the spinach, then stir in the coconut yogurt. Serve with the warm naan and a dollop of extra yogurt.
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