Home > Recipes > Sweet potatoes > Sweet potato dal with butter bean parathas

Sweet potato dal with butter bean parathas

Published: 24 Apr 25
Updated: 6 May 25

This easy, creamy dal is perfect when you need a warm bowl of healthy comfort food on busy nights. Here’s why Martha Collison’s recipe is a midweek winner…

Cosy flavours: “Full of nourishing spices, creamy coconut milk and a little bit of heat, this dish is a real crowdpleaser,” says Martha. Filling sweet potatoes bring a hint of sweetness which contrasts beautifully with the earthy spices.
Batch cook wonder: This dal is perfect for batch-cooking. Portion it out, label and freeze. “I batch-cooked and froze this dal when I was pregnant, ready to reheat in those blurry weeks with a newborn – and oh, was I grateful that I did!” says Martha.
Protein hit: Both lentils and butter beans are a source of protein and fibre, so it’s well worth making the delicious parathas, if you can. “The butter bean and cumin parathas are easy to make but if you don’t have the time or energy, ready-made naan or chapatis work well too.”

Browse more easy, healthy dinner recipes.

Recipe taken from Pull Up A Chair by Martha Collison (Kyle Books £26) and tested by delicious.

Easy
May 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6
Prep time 30 min. Cook time 40-45 min

This easy, creamy dal is perfect when you need a warm bowl of healthy comfort food on busy nights. Here’s why Martha Collison’s recipe is a midweek winner…

Cosy flavours: “Full of nourishing spices, creamy coconut milk and a little bit of heat, this dish is a real crowdpleaser,” says Martha. Filling sweet potatoes bring a hint of sweetness which contrasts beautifully with the earthy spices.
Batch cook wonder: This dal is perfect for batch-cooking. Portion it out, label and freeze. “I batch-cooked and froze this dal when I was pregnant, ready to reheat in those blurry weeks with a newborn – and oh, was I grateful that I did!” says Martha.
Protein hit: Both lentils and butter beans are a source of protein and fibre, so it’s well worth making the delicious parathas, if you can. “The butter bean and cumin parathas are easy to make but if you don’t have the time or energy, ready-made naan or chapatis work well too.”

Browse more easy, healthy dinner recipes.

Recipe taken from Pull Up A Chair by Martha Collison (Kyle Books £26) and tested by delicious.

Vegetarian

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 740kcals
Fat: 23g (10g saturated)
Protein: 30g
Carbohydrates: 92g (21g sugars)
Fibre: 23g
Salt: 2.2g

Save

Rate

Ingredients

375g red split lentils
2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
2 shallots, finely chopped
5cm piece ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ green chilli, finely chopped
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
1.1 litres vegetable stock
400ml coconut milk
1 tsp fine salt
260g baby leaf spinach
Juice 1 lime
Cooked basmati rice to serve
Natural yogurt to serve

For the sweet potatoes

1kg sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds

For the parathas

400g tin butter beans, drained
200g plain flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 green chilli, finely sliced
15g coriander, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp ghee or salted butter

Method

Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. For the potatoes, tip the cubes into a roasting tin and drizzle with the oil. Season with salt and pepper, then add the cumin seeds and toss to coat. Roast for 35 minutes, turning halfway.
Meanwhile, make the dal. Rinse the lentils in a sieve, then set aside to drain. Heat the oil or ghee in a large heavy-based saucepan, then add the shallots, ginger, garlic and green chilli. Fry, stirring regularly, for 5-6 minutes, until the shallots are softened and the mixture smells fragrant.
Add the ground spices, stir and cook for another minute, then add the lentils and stir well. Pour in the stock and coconut milk, add the salt, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The lentils will absorb the liquid and the mixture will become thick. Remove the lid, add the spinach and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes or until the dal has reached your desired consistency. Squeeze in the lime juice to taste.

Meanwhile, for the parathas, use a fork to mash the butter beans into a paste. Add the flour, salt, cumin, chilli and coriander, then mix well to combine. Pour in 75-100ml water, a little at a time, until a soft dough forms (you may not need all the water).
Knead the dough briefly to make it smooth, then roll out into a large rectangle about 5mm thick on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry brush, coat the surface of the dough with the oil. Take a long edge and roll up the dough tightly into a log shape, then use a knife to slice it into 8 rounds. Cover with a clean tea towel.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Put a round of dough, swirl side up, on the work surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a 14cm circle. Add to the hot pan and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until lightly charred and cooked through. Rub about an eighth of the ghee or butter all over the paratha, then set aside on a covered plate to keep warm while you cook the rest.
Serve the dal with rice and the parathas, topped with sweet potatoes and yogurt and an extra sprinkle of black pepper.