Chef critique
Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Dal
This is a very well-constructed, easy-to-follow recipe with excellent seasoning and timing, needing only a minor formatting tweak.
Score: 9/10
Suggested fixes
- Change step 4 to prose: 'Stir the prepared garlic and ginger into the onion, then add 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and ½ teaspoon ground turmeric. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.'
Issues
- low / clarity: The bullet list in step 4 contains exactly three ingredients, but bullet lists should be reserved for mixtures of more than three ingredients. These spices should be integrated into the prose.
Strengths
- Excellent ingredient prep and grouping in the first two steps before active cooking begins.
- Very accurate and thoughtful salting based on the weight of the vegetables and lentils.
- Good use of passive cooking time (simmering) to finish prepping the lemon and cilantro.
- Flavor profile is balanced with appropriate finishing acid and garam masala at the end.