North african squash and chickpea stew - River Cottage

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 100g red lentils
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 8 saffron strands, toasted and crushed
• 500ml roasted tomato sauce or passata
• A good handful of parsley, roughly chopped
• A large bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
• 300g squash or pumpkin
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 50g vermicelli, orzo or other small pasta
• Dates, to serve (optional)