There is hardly a legume that I do not like. I always have a variety stocked up and whenever I go to the supermarket or travel overseas, I look for heirloom legumes and others that might be new to me. I do have favourites, for a variety of reasons – taste, texture, expediency of cooking, combinations that work well with each other, and other ingredients such as rice and vegetables. Oh, did I mention that I like dhal?
As I mentioned, some legumes cook up really quickly, and can be used right out of their packet or sack while others require an overnight soak. Toor dal (also known as split pigeon peas) is one of those yellow lentils that can work both ways – directly out of the package or rehydrated. For this recipe, I opted to soak the lentils overnight because I wanted it to cook up quickly with the squash.
Certain legumes when cooked together with vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, potatoes, or even karaila (bitter melon) add body and flavour to the dish. They also make the dish hearty and satisfying. Often these combos can be served as