Name: Mild pumpkin & lentil dal
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 600 g pumpkin, deseeded and peeled if needed; 160 g dried red lentils; 200 g dry brown rice; 150 g fresh spinach; 80 g onion; 5 g fresh ginger; 2 g ground cumin; 1 g ground turmeric; 20 ml rapeseed oil; 700 ml water for the dal; 20 ml lemon juice

Good things for your family table

Why it works for children.

Red lentils break down as they cook, and the pumpkin becomes soft. This spoonable dal does not need hot spices. Rice can stay alongside so the different parts remain recognisable.

The nutrients in these ingredients.

Protein: Here, from: Red lentils
A building block children need for growth and for making body tissues.
About this nutrient
Iron: Here, from: Red lentils
The body needs iron to carry oxygen in the blood.
About this nutrient
Beta-carotene: Here, from: Orange pumpkin
The body can turn it into vitamin A, which is important for vision, among other things.
About this nutrient

These notes refer to the ingredients in the base recipe. The amount on the plate depends on preparation, portion size and swaps. Variety across the week makes the difference.

Make it yours.

Use sweet potato instead of pumpkin, cut small and cooked until soft. Frozen spinach can replace fresh; follow its packet cooking instructions.

Feeling a little unsure?

Halve or leave out the ginger and cumin for a first taste. Keep some rice plain and offer a little dal beside it.

Keeping leftovers

Cool rice and dal promptly and separately. Refrigerate rice at 5 °C or below within 1 hour and eat within 24 hours. Refrigerate dal within 2 hours and eat within 48 hours. Reheat each only once, until steaming hot throughout. Freeze dal without rice for up to 1 month.

For younger eaters

Designed for family meals from age 3, not as a weaning recipe. Always adapt shape and texture to your child’s abilities. Cook hard pieces until soft or grate finely; cut up small round foods. Stay with your child while they eat. For known allergies, check ingredients and substitutions individually.

Our approach & sources

These recipes are ideas for family life with children aged 3 and up. Quantities are a guide, not a target to finish. Age, appetite and individual needs vary. Variety across the week matters; no single recipe covers every nutritional need.

Our general guidance draws on the recommendations below. These organisations have not reviewed or endorsed the individual recipes. Editing: Pureli.

Recipe development: Pureli.