Friday, February 18, 2011

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?
Butternut Squash, Spinach Curry

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
Butternut Squash, Spinach Curry

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. Pin It

17 comments:

  1. first time to u r blog............its different....

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  2. i am like that....I donot know whether I would use it...but if its beautiful, it has to come with me!...love the flavors and the combo of the dish!
    Smitha
    http://smithasspicyflavors.blogspot.com/

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  3. Interesting point about hing and garlic. Then again, I feel lot of our Indian cooking is with too many spices. In spite of which I like them so I have myself totally confused now :) Nice recipe1

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  4. Lovely dish, squash and spinach together never tried this combo..

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  5. Interesting combo and recipe Champa, lovely clicks .

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  6. I don't like garlic and hing togather.Yes ther are some ingredients and vegetables they are made for each other like this squash and spinach.Delicious combination looks yumm.

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  7. very new combo.love the clicks a lot

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  8. wow, that is an excellent looking curry.

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  9. I had all the ingredients for this dish but used them up in different ways for lunch.Wish I had seen this post earlier.
    Sometime I pick up all things beautiful an new at the grocers and then sit and think of how to use them!

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  10. never tried butternut squash for curry.. will make it from now on..

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  11. Wow! So nice to look at & very tempting! I must try before I feel hungry for it!!!

    Nice veg dishes. xoxo!

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  12. LOL on the husband part..:)..dish looks great..

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  13. LOL on the sticker joke..
    What an unusual yet interesting combination of butternut squash and spinach..bookmarked to try it imm...
    The clicks are visually so appealing...
    We never realise that hing and garlic together would ensure that neither favors would be noticed in the dish
    Best Wishes
    Rujuta
    http://theworldaccordingtorujuta.blogspot.com/

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