Hearty, golden and full of spice, this Golden Pumpkin Dhal turns humble ingredients into a bowl of comfort and nourishment. Silky pumpkin pairs beautifully with earthy lentils and fragrant spices, all brought together with a touch of Hakanoa Ginger Syrup for warmth and depth. It’s the kind of dish that’s simple to make, brilliant for sharing, and perfect alongside rice or warm flatbreads on a cozy night in. This is my go-to vegan dish. I’ve been making variations on it for over 40 years. It’s cheap, easy, incredibly healthy, and really versatile. Dhal the word actually means a pulse that has been skinned and split. We are familiar with green and yellow split peas, which are just the older versions of my favourite frozen baby peas. You can get many varieties of pulses ready to cook at your local Indian grocery. Chana Dhal is chickpeas that have been skinned and dried and have naturally split in two, Moong Dhal were once Moong beans, and Toor Dhal were once yellow pigeon peas. Without the skins, these wonderful pulses cook down to a creamy easily digestible power house of plant protein. This recipe makes a Dhal that is both creamy and textured, making it very satisfying to eat. It’s delicious main course dish served with raita, chutney & roti. Add some extra water and a side of toast;, it is a wonderful soup. Cold leftover dhal – delicious spread on hot toast for breakfast. Rolled up in a freshly-toasted roti with salad and relish – that’s a great lunch. The ideal ingredients I’ve listed will make the creamiest warmly spiced satisfying dhal you’ve ever eaten, but I’ve also listed alternative get-from-any-supermarket- ingredients in case there isn’t an Indian grocer in your neighbourhood. This is going to make 10 litres of dhal! That is a LOT and this recipe is designed for a household with a freezer. You can half or quarter the recipe to suit your cooking vessel of choice. I have a 10-litre slow cooker, and I saute the veges and spice first then pile it all up in there. Before I got the slow cooker, I used to use split the mixture over 2 casserole dishes and put them in a low oven.
