Spicy Squash
September 24th, 2009 filed under Dry Vegetables, Subji (Vegetables), Vegan
This is a north Indian dish, spicy, sweet and sour taste all in one. Typically this dish is served with puri and kachori (puri stuffed with urad dal).
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoons mango powder (amchoor) 4 tablespoons sugar (cheeni)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
- 4 cups of sliced squash (kadoo)
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (dana mathi)
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground funnel seed (saunf)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder (pisi mirch) adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika (dagi mirch) provides a nice color
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 4 whole red chili (sabut lal mirch)
- 1 tablespoon shredded ginger (adrak)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (nimbu ka ras)
Method:
- Peel and cut the squash into cubes.
- Save about ¼ of the squash peel and chop them.
- In a small bowl, mix the shredded ginger, coriander powder, funnel, red chili powder, paprika, turmeric, and ¼ cup of water to make a paste.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
- Add cumin seeds and asafetida after seeds crack add fenugreek seeds and red chilies and stir for a few seconds.
- Add the spice paste and stir-fry for a minute until spices start leaving the oil.
- Add the squash, squash peels, salt, and ¼ cup of water. Mix well.
- Cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Squash will be semi mushy.
- Make sure to stir gently every 3 to 4 minutes. Check if more water needed.
- Lastly, add the mango powder, sugar and chopped cilantro. Mix everything and cover for a minute. Adjust the salt to your taste.
Tips:
I have used acorn squash but any squash can be used whatever is available for example banana squash, butternut squash, buttercup squash etc. The only one I know does not work is spaghetti squash and pumpkin.
Suggestion:
The recipe is with many blends of spices and great aroma makes a great dish to serve with plain rice. Just make the dish with extra gravy by adding more water on step 9.
Manjula,
I have to say that this is probably my favourite ever Indian recipe. I have made it twice now, both times with butternut squash, and it’s quite delicious.
Thanks for your fantastic site!
Paul
the spicy squash is wonderful.. i loved it.. although i made few changes- used very little oil and just 1/2 teaspoon stevia added to 1 1/2 teaspoon aamchur powder and made it a little hot with more red chilli powder.. it was excellent.. the basic idea of ginger paste made all the difference!!!
hi aunty thanks for your all tasty dishesesmy husband like it
I made this dish tonight using chayote or as we call them in Australia, chokoes. I sampled the dish before I added the mango powder and sugar and was a bit concerned. I couldn’t believe the difference adding these ingredients at the end made. Delicious! Thanks Manjula.
Hi Lesley, you have discovered one of the quirks of Indian cooking. It’s not done until it’s done! Unlike Italian or other cuisines, Indian dishes almost always taste bad until the dish is finished and everything has been added. Taste testing as it cooks doesn’t work. Glad it was all good in the end!
I’ll remember that Jaya!
CAN YOU SEE HOW TO MAKING PIZZA. I LIKE YOUR ALL THE RECIPES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
Hi Manjula aunty,
I made this curry tonight and it’s definately a hit, thank you for you wonderful recipes!!!!
Aunty,
I made this with zucchini squash and it turned out really good. Thank you for this recipe.
thanks so much for ur clear guidance in all ur recipies
why dont u make non vegitarian recipies too?
Manjula aunty,
I tried this today and came out very tasty, thanks for your clear guidance
I made this today and it tasted very good. I, however, did not use the peels because I wanted a soft sabji dish without anything chewy in it. But the flavors were great.
Note to others, acorn squash is tough to cut. Use a sharp knife and be careful to not let the knife slip and cut yourself. I used a vegetable peeler to cut away the skin.
Dear Manjula aunty,
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Really simple and tasty. I tried a small variation by substituting jaggery for sugar and it came out tasty too.
Your website is wonderful with the videos that makes it almost as good as someone standing beside us and helping us cook.
Thanks for all your efforts.