I salute hotpots

Hot Butternut squash and Coconut Daal 

When everything starts to get a bit much and your eye balls have been physically scratched it’s nice to resort to a one pot dish that breathes warm and spicy fumes into your house and total satisfaction to belly. This daal is draped in sweetness from the cinnamon and coconut combination, but avoids sickly sweet, as it’s cut through by the chilli and the butternut squash, what cushy padding - it's more of a background player, but it gives texture and is so clever at absorbing flavour and creating harmony that it wouldn’t be quite so satisfying without it. 

rather how it makes you feel than what it looks like
(FORGOT TO PHOTOGRAGH MY DISH)

5 handfuls of any type of lentils
2 medium butternut squashes (chopped to 1 cm cubes)
4 handfuls of chopped spinach
4 green chillis
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp cinnamon 

1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
4 tsp ground cumin / crushed cumin seeds
3 tsp medium curry powder
2 bay leaves
1 can coconut milk
4 cans of boiling water
50 g butter / ghee 

40 g tomatoe puree
salt and pepper to taste (be generous)

Heat oil in a pan, add onion, crushed garlic / ginger / chilli. Cook for 6 mins. Add butter or ghee and all the spices and the bay leaves. Add the chopped butternut squash and 1 tin of water – leave for 2-3 mins. Add the coconut milk, lentils and remaining water. Cook for 1 hour on a low heat – add the tomato puree - add the chopped spinach. Cook until you feel like eating. If it gets too thick add some more water, it it seems too watery let it boil for a little so it reduces.