Ingredients
| ¼ cup black lentils (or use half a 400g can, drained) | |
| 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil) | |
| 2 tablespoons gochujang | |
| 2 tablespoons soy sauce | |
| 1 medium butternut (approx. 700g) peeled, seeded, cut into into 5mm slices | |
| 250g green beans, trimmed | |
| 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped | |
| 2 tablespoons mirin | |
| ¼ cup crunchy peanut butter | |
| 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar | |
| 2 teaspoons sesame oil | |
| ¼ cup fried shallots | |
| coriander leaves, to garnish |
As is often the case, I was looking in the fridge for dinner inspiration: I had some cooked lentils that needed using up, some squash and beans. One of my sons is not the greatest fan of cucurbits (that family of fruit that includes pumpkins, squash, zucchini, cucumbers and gherkins, watermelons and rock melons) but I knew that a spicy peanut butter dressing might just do the trick to sell this one. You could use another vegetable in place of the beans; broccoli, zucchini or cauliflower would also work well here.
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Instructions
| 1. | Heat the oven to 200°C. |
| 2. | Line two baking trays with baking paper. |
| 3. | If using dried lentils, cook them in salted water until just tender but still holding their shape, about 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside. |
| 4. | Whisk together 1 tablespoon each of vegetable oil, gochujang and soy sauce. |
| 5. | Toss the pumpkin with half the mix and spread in a single layer on a tray. |
| 6. | Repeat with the green beans and the other half of the mix, spreading them on the other tray. |
| 7. | Roast the vegetables until just tender – the beans usually take 20-25 minutes, the pumpkin 25-30 minutes. |
| 8. | Make the dressing by whisking together the remaining oil, gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, mirin, peanut butter, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil. |
| 9. | Loosen with 1-2 tablespoons water. |
| 10. | Dress the lentils with 1-2 tablespoons of the dressing. |
| 11. | Spoon half the dressing on the base of a platter. Arrange |
| 12. | Arrange the roasted pumpkin and green beans on top, scatter over the lentils and drizzle over the remaining dressing. |
| 13. | Scatter with the fried shallots and coriander. |
Recipes & food styling Ginny Grant / Photography Aaron McLean / Styling Jess Hemmings