Cooking doesn’t always come easy. Like going to the gym, you need to be motivated, inspired and have the patience (and time) to clean up afterward. But what do you do when you’re burned out from your usual workout routine? You mix it up; try something new. Same goes for your culinary adventures. When you expand your horizons – often to far reaches of the globe – you just might rediscover that love for cooking. Enter: butternut manna dal – a staple comfort food from the fragrant kitchens of India. Moong dal, or mung beans, get cozy with warm flavors like butternut squash, ginger, coriander and cayenne to create a flavorfully rich dish that’ll lure you back.
Butternut Manna Dal
Ingredients
1 golden beetroot, peeled and finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, fined chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1-inch stem ginger, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup moong dal (split mung beans)
1 Tbsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cayenne
2 cups water
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup frozen peas
1/3 cup Nutiva Coconut Manna
1 tsp. sea salt
Red pepper flakes and micro greens for garnish (optional)
Directions
- In a large stockpot, heat olive oil and sauté beetroot, onion, garlic and ginger 5 minutes, or until onion is slightly softened.
- Add mung beans and spices, stirring to incorporate. Cook about 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Pour in water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
- Add butternut squash cubes and another tablespoon or two of water if it’s too dry. Cover and simmer for another 20-25 minutes, or until squash is soft and can easily be pierced with a fork.
- Stir in coconut manna, peas and sea salt until well combined.
- Let everything warm through, about 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with red pepper flakes and microgreens, if using.
Recipe provided by Christine Wong -- a health coach and home cook, who shares her creative, conscious cooking recipes on yommme.com.
