This delicious Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer is a quick and hearty vegetarian meal that’s both creamy and comforting. Packed with nutritious lentils and topped with crispy, golden paneer, this dish is easy to make with common ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Perfect for a cozy dinner!
Ingredients Needed
Homemade Paneer:
- 2 litres (8 cups) whole milk
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Dal:
- 1 butternut squash (1.2kg/2.6lbs)
- Olive oil
- 5cm piece of ginger (about 2 inches)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ½ a bunch (15g/0.5oz) coriander
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 2 heaped tablespoons of jalfrezi curry paste
- 300g (about 2½ cups) fresh or frozen chopped mixed onion, carrot & celery
- 2 x 400g (2 x 14oz cans) tins of plum tomatoes
- 1kg (about 5 cups) red split lentils
- 16 uncooked poppadoms
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
How To Make Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer
- Make Paneer: Pour the milk into a large deep pan on high heat. When it begins to rise, turn off the heat and add the vinegar. Stir gently and let it curdle for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low for 30 seconds to firm up the curds. Pour the mixture into a clean tea towel-lined colander over a large bowl, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Slice the cheese, sprinkle with sea salt, mix, and wrap. Squeeze out any last moisture and leave for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight).
- Roast the Squash: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Scrub, halve and deseed the squash. Rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast skin-side up for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, until golden and tender. Set aside.
- Cook Dal: In a large deep ovenproof casserole pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, and coriander stalks, along with half of the chilli flakes and jalfrezi paste. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until caramelized. Add the plum tomatoes and red split lentils, followed by the whey and water mixture (3 liters/12½ cups). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and roughly snap in 4 uncooked poppadoms. Transfer the pan to the bottom of the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until thickened, adding splashes of water to loosen, if needed.
- Finish Dal: Break the roasted squash into bite-sized pieces and stir most of it into the dal, reserving a few pieces for garnish.
- Temper Spices: In a small non-stick pan, heat sunflower oil and add fenugreek, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and the remaining chilli flakes. Fry for 1 minute until popping, then pour over the dal.
- Fry the Paneer: In a separate pan, fry pieces of paneer in 1 tablespoon of oil for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
- Serve: Serve the dal topped with fried paneer, reserved squash, and fresh coriander leaves. Puff up the remaining poppadoms in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve alongside the dal for dunking.
Recipe Tips
- Let the paneer set overnight: After pressing the paneer, let it sit in the fridge overnight for the best texture and flavor. This will help it firm up nicely and give it a better consistency for frying.
- Adjust the spiciness: If you prefer a milder dish, reduce the number of chilli flakes or jalfrezi curry paste. You can always add more later if you like it spicier.
- Don’t skip roasting the squash: Roasting the squash gives it a sweet, caramelized flavor that enhances the taste of the dal. Make sure to roast it until golden and tender for the best result.
- Fry the paneer until crispy: When frying the paneer, ensure it’s golden and crispy on both sides. This adds texture and flavor that balances the creamy dal perfectly.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover dal and paneer cool to room temperature. Then, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow the dal and paneer to cool completely before freezing in an airtight container for up to 1 month. To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight, and then reheat or serve as desired.
- Reheat: Reheat the dal and paneer in a pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or broth to loosen if necessary, and heat for about 5–7 minutes until warm.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/12th of the recipe)
- Calories: 513
- Total Fat: 14.5g
- Saturated Fat: 5.3g
- Total Carbohydrate: 73.6g
- Dietary Fiber: 7.9g
- Sugars: 18g
- Protein: 30.4g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Stuffed Chicken Skewers
- Jamie Oliver Piccalilli, Pork & Apple Pies
- Jamie Oliver Charred Aubergine Parmigiana
- Jamie Oliver Chilli Con Carne Meatballs
Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer
Description
This delicious Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer is a quick and hearty vegetarian meal that’s both creamy and comforting. Packed with nutritious lentils and topped with crispy, golden paneer, this dish is easy to make with common ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Perfect for a cozy dinner!
Ingredients
Homemade Paneer:
Dal:
Instructions
- Make Paneer: Pour the milk into a large deep pan on high heat. When it begins to rise, turn off the heat and add the vinegar. Stir gently and let it curdle for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low for 30 seconds to firm up the curds. Pour the mixture into a clean tea towel-lined colander over a large bowl, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Slice the cheese, sprinkle with sea salt, mix, and wrap. Squeeze out any last moisture and leave for at least 1 hour (preferably overnight).
- Roast the Squash: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Scrub, halve and deseed the squash. Rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast skin-side up for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, until golden and tender. Set aside.
- Cook Dal: In a large deep ovenproof casserole pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium-high. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, and coriander stalks, along with half of the chilli flakes and jalfrezi paste. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the mixed vegetables and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until caramelized. Add the plum tomatoes and red split lentils, followed by the whey and water mixture (3 liters/12½ cups). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and roughly snap in 4 uncooked poppadoms. Transfer the pan to the bottom of the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until thickened, adding splashes of water to loosen, if needed.
- Finish Dal: Break the roasted squash into bite-sized pieces and stir most of it into the dal, reserving a few pieces for garnish.
- Temper Spices: In a small non-stick pan, heat sunflower oil and add fenugreek, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and the remaining chilli flakes. Fry for 1 minute until popping, then pour over the dal.
- Fry the Paneer: In a separate pan, fry pieces of paneer in 1 tablespoon of oil for 2 minutes on each side until golden.
- Serve: Serve the dal topped with fried paneer, reserved squash, and fresh coriander leaves. Puff up the remaining poppadoms in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve alongside the dal for dunking.
Notes
- Let the paneer set overnight: After pressing the paneer, let it sit in the fridge overnight for the best texture and flavor. This will help it firm up nicely and give it a better consistency for frying.
- Adjust the spiciness: If you prefer a milder dish, reduce the number of chilli flakes or jalfrezi curry paste. You can always add more later if you like it spicier.
- Don’t skip roasting the squash: Roasting the squash gives it a sweet, caramelized flavor that enhances the taste of the dal. Make sure to roast it until golden and tender for the best result.
- Fry the paneer until crispy: When frying the paneer, ensure it’s golden and crispy on both sides. This adds texture and flavor that balances the creamy dal perfectly.
Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Dal and Paneer