Autumnal Daal with Poached Eggs Recipe

With all this talk of spiced pumpkin this and spiced pumpkin that, it was probably time to mix it up with a slightly more exotic autumnal favourite: this butternut squash and mushroom daal. I love it because it is both has that warm, cozy thing going on, but still makes use of the seasons produce. Alternatively you could use pumpkin or sweet potato instead of the butternut squash.   

 Autumnal Daal with Poached Eggs 

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

 Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 300g chestnut mushrooms (roughly one package), sliced
• ½ small butternut squash (about 500g), peeled, deseeded and cut into 1inch chunks
• 3–4 tsp keralan curry paste
• 6 vine tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• 2/3 cup (130g) red split lentils, washed
• 4 medium eggs
• 28g fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves chopped
• dash of vinegar

 Instructions 

1) Heat the oil in a wide, shallow saucepan or sauté pan. Add the onion and mushrooms, and cook for 5–6 minutes until wilted and nicely browned.

2) Add the squash, curry paste, tomatoes, lentils and 300ml water. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and the sauce has thickened.

3) Take a second shallow saucepan and add a cup of water and a dash of vinegar. Bring to a steady simmer.

4) Crack an egg into a bowl and gently drop in the simmer water (egg whites first).

5) Allow egg white to just turn a translucent white then remove with a slotted spoon. Transfer to curry pan and arrange to your liking.

6) Replace the lid and cook over a low heat for 1 minute, until just set. Scatter with chopped coriander to serve (either by itself or over rice).

Tip: Alternatively you can put the eggs directly into the curry, but it doesn't look as nice and I somehow always overcook the yolks when I do it that way.

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