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Pumpkin Dal That’s So Easy

you can make it even if you’ve thrown out your back

Sohla El-Waylly

Sep 27, 2022

READ IN APP

Originally published in 2022

I threw out my back for the first time yesterday. It’s something that happens to my husband, Ham, all the time, and I’ve learned now that I don’t have enough sympathy for him. It really is the worst, but I had it coming. I tried to lift the couch with one hand so I could adjust the rug underneath it with the other. I didn’t even make an attempt at lifting with my legs. I think it’s because I just watched She-Hulk. (Have any of you seen it yet? Thoughts? I like how much it reminds me of Ally McBeal but with super powers.) So now I’m hobbling around the apartment, needing Ham’s help to lift anything heavier than a cherry tomato.

But I promised I would share a recipe using ingredients from this week’s CSA, so here it is, a pumpkin dal so easy I can make even with a thrown-back! (Well, Ham had to grab all the ingredients for me because I can’t bend or lift. Okay, he also did the chopping and cleaning because I can’t stand for long. Okay, so Ham mostly made this, but I was an excellent delegator!)

Dal is any lentil that has been split and is often also husked, so it cooks relatively quickly. Growing up, every dinner revolved around dal bhat (a combo of rice and dal), with lots of sides to go with it, like sautéed vegetables, stewed fish, and raitha. Nowadays, I eat dal more like a soup, adding a dollop of yogurt on top and dunking in a buttered roti. The pumpkin in this dal makes it extra silky once blended, or you can keeping it chunky for more stew vibes.

Pumpkin Dal with Wilted Greens

¾ cup masoor dal (red lentils)
kosher salt
1 small pumpkin (or large sweet potato, or any winter squash)
1 medium bunch Swiss chard (or any tender green, like spinach or arugula)
1 medium yellow or white onion
2 tablespoons ghee, clarified butter, or oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder

to serve:

steamed rice or warmed roti

salted yogurt

In a medium bowl, rinse the dal with water, then add to a medium pot along with 4 cups water and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.
Meanwhile, peel the pumpkin. Use a heavy knife to cut in half, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and guts (toast the seeds for snacking if you want!).
Cut the pumpkin into rough 1-inch pieces, then add to the pot with the dal. Cover and cook until the dal and pumpkin are totally tender and falling apart.
While the dal cooks: Wash the Swiss chard and strip the leaves off the stems. Roughly chop the stems and the leaves, keeping them separate. Peel and thinly slice the onion
Once the dal and pumpkin are tender, mash with a potato masher right in the pot or, if you want it very smooth, puree with an immersion blender. Taste and add salt as needed. Add the Swiss chard leaves and simmer until wilted.
In a medium skillet, heat ghee over medium. Add onion and Swiss chard stems, and cook, frequently stirring, until frizzled and golden brown.
Add mustard, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder and cook, frequently stirring, until aromatic and the mustard pops.
Scrape the spice mixture into the dal. Stir well to combine, then taste and add salt as need. Serve right away over rice or alongside roti with a dollop of yogurt.