Butternut Squash Curry (Revisiting Old Recipes)

Blogging Marathon# 26: Week 4/ Day 3
Theme: Revisiting Old Posts with New Pictures
Dish: Thiyya Gummadikaya Kura (Butternut Squash Curry from August 2007) 

Butternut squash is one vegetable that I buy and keep in the pantry. It doesn't have to be refrigerated, which is a bad thing because I usually end up forgetting that I bought it and it stays in the cabinet for days. Good thing is it is a tough veggie and can be stored in a cool dry place for quite some time. Once the realize I have it and cook with it, I always end up thinking why did I wait for this long!! 

So this time I decided to make 2 dishes with the 2lbs. butternut squash that I bought. I cooked with half of it right away, then microwaved the rest of the pieces and stored it in the fridge for later use. I made a Kale-Butternut Squash risotto with one half and for this curry I used with the microwaved pieces later in the week.

I had blogged this post way back in August of 2007 and I think my pictures have come a long way from then :-)

This curry is tangy, sweet and spicy and once you have the cooked squash in hand, it takes mere minutes to put this dish together.

Ingredients:
Butternut squash - 1 lb. makes about 2 cups chopped
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilies - 2
Red chilies - 2
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 6-8
Hing (Asafoetida) - pinch
Turmeric - pinch
Sambar powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Place the chopped squash pieces with a pinch of salt in a microwave safe bowl and cook in the microwave for about 6-8 minutes, until the pieces are fork tender. You can also boil the pieces on stove top.
• In heat 2 tsp oil in a pan, add urad dal, mustard and cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves. 
• When the seeds splutter, add squash and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add tamarind paste and 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook on medium low flame for 3-4 minutes. 
• Add sambar powder and salt, cook for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today for BM# 26.