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Chingri Do Piaza and Pumpkin Dal

Chingri Do Piaza and Pumpkin Dal

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Pumpkin Dal has a savoury, slightly sweet, and warm flavour with notes of spice combined with the earthy taste of Lentils and the sweetness of Pumpkin. The dish has a rich and creamy texture, enhanced by the aromatics and a final tempering for a spicy finish.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 910
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chingri Do Piaza
  • 2 Onions: one roughly chopped; the other thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 4-cm piece of Ginger, roughly chopped
  • 6 Garlic Cloves, peeled
  • 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tsp Turmeric
  • 1 Tsp Ground Coriander
  • ½ Tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 Tsp Salt
  • 100ml warm Water
  • 450g Raw Prawns, deveined and shelled
  • 2 Green Chillies, slit in the middle
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 Tbsp chopped Coriander
For the Dal
  • 200g Red Lentils
  • 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Onion, thinly sliced
  • 2.5-cm Ginger, grated
  • 250g Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 Tsp Turmeric
  • ½ Tsp Chilli Powder
  • 1 ½ Tsp Salt
  • 300ml Water
  • 1 Tbsp Tomato Purée
For the Tempered Spices
  • 2 Tbsp Ghee
  • 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 Tsp Chillies Flakes
  • 4 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced

Method
 

For the Chingri Do Piaza
  1. In a food processor, blitz the chopped Onions with the Ginger and Garlic.
  2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat
  3. Add the sliced Onions and stir until they are nicely caramelised
  4. Add the Onion paste followed by the ground Spices and stir for a minute, then add the Salt and warm Water, and bring to the boil
  5. Reduce the heat to medium and keep stirring until the water reduces and the raw smell of the garlic is gone
  6. When the oil is visible around the edges of the onion mix, add the Prawns and Green Chillies, and continue to stir until the Prawns are pink and no longer translucent.
  7. Add the Lemon Juice and taste for seasoning
  8. Garnish with chopped fresh Coriander
For the Pumpkin Dal
  1. Wash the Lentils in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear
  2. Soak the Lentils for 30 minutes
  3. Drain well.
  4. Warm the Oil in a heavy-based pan that has a lid over a medium heat
  5. Add the sliced Onions and stir until they start to turn brown
  6. Add the Ginger and keep stirring.
  7. Add the Pumpkin Paste along with the Turmeric and Chilli Powder, and stir for a minute
  8. Add the Salt and the drained Lentils
  9. Stir for a few more minutes, then add the measured Water and bring to the boil
  10. Partially cover and reduce to a simmer for 10-20 minutes
  11. Leave the lid slightly ajar - you need to keep stirring the dal at regular intervals
  12. When the Dal and Pumpkin are cooked, remove the lid, add the Tomato Purée, and stir to ensure it does not get stuck at the bottom of the pan
  13. Take the Dal off the heat
  14. Temper the Dal before serving
  15. Heat the Ghee in a small frying pan over a medium heat
  16. Add the Cumin Seeds followed by the Chilli Flakes and then the Garlic
  17. Keep stirring to ensure the Garlic is cooked evenly
  18. When the Garlic starts to turn brown, tip the contents of the pan into the Lentils
  19. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 910kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 68gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 270mgFiber: 12gSugar: 13g

Notes

For perfectly caramelised onions, be patient. Slow cooking develops a deep sweetness and rich colour.
Avoid overcooking prawns; they become rubbery quickly. Cook until just pink and opaque.
Stir the dal regularly, especially after adding tomato puree, to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.

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