Sprouted Lentil Dahl with Butternut Squash
As the colder months approach and the markets are bursting with winter squash, I can’t resist making a warming dish like Lentil Dahl with butternut squash. Infused with healing spices like ginger, cumin, cinnamon, and garlic, this recipe is both comforting and nourishing.
Sprouted Lentil Dahl with Butternut Squash
Ingredients
- 1 small butternut squash chopped into bite sized chunks
- ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1-2 onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 & 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 1 14oz can full fat coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup dried red lentils, sprouted *see note
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bunch of cilantro chopped
- sour cream or yogurt for serving full fat, organic
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Chop up the butternut squash into bite sized pieces. I like to first cut it in half vertically, then scoop out the seeds, peel the skin off, then chop it up.
- Place the bite sized squash on the baking sheet and spoon over some quality fat like duck fat, or ghee. Salt the squash then use your hands to mix and evenly coat the pieces with fat and salt. Place in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Heat a large pot on medium heat and add some ghee. When the pan is hot, add the cumin seeds and toast for a couple minutes. Then add the onions and cook until they are soft, about 7 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
- Add the salt, coriander, cumin, and curry powder. Stir consistently for about a minute to evenly distribute the spices.
- Add the cinnamon stick, coconut milk, water, and lentils. Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat down to a lower simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Adjust the salt and seasoning to taste. Your lentils will vary on cooking time based on low long they have been soaked or sprouted for. Sprouted lentils cook much faster. See note below.
- Stir in the cilantro and squash. Top with sour cream or yogurt. You can also pair this with white rice if desired.
Note: to sprout lentils, first soak the lentils by placing them in a bowl and covering them with a couple inches of water. Soak overnight or for about 8 hours. Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse well. Keep them in the strainer with a dish underneath to catch the water and place a damp cloth over them to help keep them moist. Keep them in a warm place but out of direct sun. Rinse the lentils every morning and night, they will begin to germinate in a couple days and grow a little tail. Sprouted lentils cook much faster in soups and require less water in the cooking process. Your average grocery store likely contains lentils which are quite old. Old lentils are much more difficult to sprout. You can still just soak them in this case but fresher lentils are so much better! I buy mine from Kandarian Organic Farms.
If instead you choose not to sprout the lentils, add a cup of dry lentils directly to the pot along with an additional cup of water. They will need about 45 minutes to cook. If the soup is looking dry, add some more liquid.
The Science: Lentils are not a complete protein on their own. In order for a food to be a complete protein it must have all 9 essential amino acids . All animal proteins (dairy, eggs, meat, fish) are naturally complete protein sources but nearly all plant proteins are incomplete on their own. Lentils are low in methionine and tryptophan so they are usually paired with another incomplete protein like rice which is naturally high in methionine and tryptophan. Together, these foods provide all 9 essential amino acids, giving you a complete protein.
However, when lentils are sprouted, all kinds of nutritional benefits are unlocked. Protein is made more bioavailable and increases by 20-30%, enzymes are activated during the sprouting process making the lentils easier to digest, vitamins and minerals are made more available and absorbable, and anti-nutrients are reduced. Since the bioavailability of essential amino acids increases, I do not find it necessary to pair sprouted lentils with rice. Instead, I like combining them with full fat yogurt or sour cream.