Butternut Squash Spinach Curry

Cooking is basically using a combination of ingredients. That's all. One of the points to note while combining different things is not to use ingredients that counteract when used together. Best example is of using hing and garlic together. I know what you are thinking. There are tons of recipes which use them together. But, when you do, none of the flavor is present. They are too strong to go together. I found out that butternut squash or pumpkin go very well with spinach. That is the reason for this post.

Another point to note is not to over use certain herbs. Sage can be overpowering. I have a bunch of sage in my refrigerator and I don't know what to do with it. Why did I buy? Because they looked so darn beautiful and I had to bring them home.

Thank god I don't bring home all the beautiful things that I see everywhere. I would be broke otherwise.
Speaking of 'broke', while driving, I saw a sticker on the car in front of me. It said "Can you please fix my husband? He says he is 'broke'". Isn't it a good one?

Ingredients:
Butternut squash - 1 medium sized peeled and cubed into 3/4" cubes
Red Onion - 2 small or 1 big chopped fine
Tomato puree - 1 cup (from about 4 tomatoes or use crushed tomatoes)
Spinach - 1 bunch or 1 pack of frozen (16 Oz or 1 lb bag)
Garlic - 2 pods chopped fine
Bay leaf - 2
Cardamom - 2 whole
Cinnamon - one 2" stick
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Coriander Cumin powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 5 slit lengthwise
Oil - 4 TBSP
Salt - to taste

Method:
In a pan, heat oil. When hot, add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom. When these are toasted, add green chillies. Add onions, garlic and saute. You want the onions to brown, but not burn. Add a pinch of salt to prevent burning and keep it on low heat. When the onions get brown, add the butternut squash pieces. Mix well and leave it for 5 minutes. Now, add the tomato puree, garam masala, Coriander Cumin powder. Mix well and add enough water to cover the butternut squash chunks (barely). Cover with a lid and let it cook. You want to cook it till they are tender but not mushy. When the squash is almost cooked, add the frozen spinach or fresh one chopped fine to the pot and mix well. Adjust the salt and seasonings if required. You could adjust the thickness of the curry too. Leave it on for few minutes in low heat and turn off the heat. Serve with rotis, naans or even rice.

Enjoy.