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Dinner recipe · from the recipe book

Red Lentil and Chickpea Tomato Dal Curry

A thick, silky red lentil and tomato curry with tender chickpeas, butternut squash and spinach, warmed with cumin, ginger and a squeeze of lime, served with fluffy basmati-style rice.

Red Lentil and Chickpea Tomato Dal Curry

Ingredients

  • 1 cup190 gRed lentils, dryrinsed
  • 1 can, drained254 gChickpeas, canned, drained and rinsed
  • 14 oz400 gDiced tomatoes, canned
  • 2 tbsp30 gTomato paste
  • 2 cups cubed280 gButternut squash, peeledcut into 3/4-inch cubes
  • 2 medium120 gCarrotsdiced
  • 4 cups loosely packed120 gBaby spinach
  • 1½ medium160 gYellow onionfinely chopped
  • 4 cloves12 gGarlicminced
  • 2½ tbsp grated15 gFresh gingergrated
  • 1½ tbsp20 gCanola oil
  • 2 tsp4 gGround cumin
  • 1¾ tsp3 gGround coriander
  • 1 tsp3 gGround turmeric
  • 1 tbsp6 gCurry powder
  • ½ tsp1 gCrushed red pepper
  • ¾ tsp5 gSalt
  • 5¼ cups1,240 gWater
  • 1⅓ cups240 gLong-grain white rice, dryrinsed
  • 2 tbsp30 gLime juice
  • ⅔ cup chopped10 gFresh cilantrochopped

Steps

  1. Prep first: rinse the red lentils and the rice separately, chop the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, dice the carrot and cube the butternut squash.
  2. Cook the rice: bring 480 g of the water to a boil in a small pot, add the rice, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, then rest off the heat, covered, while the curry finishes.
  3. Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring, until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
  4. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute, then add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder and red pepper flakes and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the canned tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits.
  6. Add the lentils, butternut squash, chickpeas, salt and the remaining 760 g of water. Bring to a boil, then cover partly and simmer, stirring now and then, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils have broken down and the squash is tender.
  7. Stir in the spinach until wilted, about 1 minute, then stir in the lime juice. Add a splash more water if the curry is too thick.
  8. Fluff the rice, spoon the curry over it and scatter the cilantro on top.

Allergens: none of the nine major allergens in the ingredients as written.

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Saved in the Every Helping recipe book on October 24, 2026.

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