Monday, November 17, 2008

Simple Pleasures :Lal Bhoplyachi Rassa Bhaaji

Hope you all had a Rocking Diwali!! So???? Did you all gorge on goodies? Deep fried, soul satisfying, crunchy-munchy stuff?? I know I did ! This year I teamed up with a couple of my friends and we made our lot of goodies together. This made it easier for me, we could keep a watch on the children and have a good time cooking, laughing and gossiping too.


But now, simple food is on my list.. I haven't really cooked a vast deal and somehow a kind of inertia has gripped me, I open my drafts folder, type a sentence and log out. Maybe it is because I am totally tied up with Little S and have little time for myself, specially since the husband works away from home and is here only for the weekend.
A simple Sambar- Rice with a side of this vegetable or something similar is on the menu when M comes home and a quick sandwich and I am done when I am on my own!

The other day I picked up a neatly cut and cored piece of Butternut Squash and came home with the intention of making one of my childhood fvourites.
Of course, back home this is made with pumpkin, but the pumpkins here are not my cuppa, I doubt if I will ever be able to chop them, so , b'nut squash is my choice.
usually made during fasting (upvaas) days, this mild vegetable is a great accompaniment to sabudana khichadi or Vari rice, but I also like it with a phulka or plain daal-rice.





I make this so often that I use andaaz, so the measures are guesstimates.


You need:


~ 2 cups of Butternut squash (peeled, cored & cubed)


1 Thai chile


1/2 tsp Cumin / Jeera seeds


2 tbs. Oil / ghee


1/2 cup powdered peanuts or Peanut butter to save time ( I used creamy peanut butter)


1 tsp Tamarind concentrate or Soak a walnut size ball of tamarind in warm water and extract the pulp.


1 lump Jaggery


Salt to taste


Cilantro to garnish


Water


Heat oil or ghee in a wok, add the cumin seeds. After they sizzle, add the chile.


Add the cubed butternut squash. Mix well, Add about 1/2 cup or less of water , cover and cook till tender ( should not be mushy).


Once the squash is tender, add in some more water ( this depends on the thickness of the gravy you want) , add the tamarind and jaggery, salt and the peanut powder /butter.


Let the whole thing come to a boil. Switch off the heat and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice, phulka, vari rice or sabudana khichadi.








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14 comments:

Finla said...

It might be simple but t is delicious and comforting

Sharmi said...

hey Manasi, I would love to have this with some fresh hot rotis:)
the recipe is more on the sweeter side right? butternut + Jaggery??

Usha said...

Looks delicious and what a coincidence I have butternut squash with me and was thinking I wanted to try something different...

Unknown said...

Nice way to cook squash the India way.

Cynthia said...

I like it with plai dhal-rice :)

Mallika said...

Lovely. I bet it's great with hot phulkas.

Anonymous said...

hey great blog...new here..to ur blog n blogosphere. hve my new lil place...it will be a pleasure if u cud visit too. :)
btw great dish...never tried this..will surely do!

Lata said...

Manasi,

I logged in after a long long time to all the sites today while working on some issue and the app was loading and loading. I saw that you too had a baby, I had one on May 8, 08 and it is a boy too. But you rock even now with baby. I am hardly having time but I am sometime with the time off and enjoying with the baby. Hopefully next year onwards I blog, let's see. and what you said about Mom is right in yoru other blog. They take care of everything with just two hands, don't know why I am having trouble managing everything and when husband is helping 100%. I will catch up with you again. have a great time. You have really encouraged me to blog again.

Anonymous said...

Hey, this is looking nice Manasi! New good dish for fasting. I will try this with upawas bhajni thalpit this time.

Srikitchen said...

first time to ur blog and it is nice!
do visit my blog when u find time and join in the savory event going in my blog!

Shivali said...

Manasi,I was amazed when i saw so many desserts in US with this squash and Yeah even i started liking this veggie.I make a similar kind of sabji and love it.

Anonymous said...

hi your blog really has some gr8 recipes.just wanted to know whether the vegetable you are talking about here is it all kaddu in hindi...as i m from north india so wanted to know.

Anonymous said...

hi your blog really has some gr8 recipes.just wanted to know whether the vegetable you are talking about here is it all kaddu in hindi...as i m from north india so wanted to know.

A Cook @ Heart said...

Hi Anon., Thank U for ur comments! Yes , i am referring to Kaddu in this recipe ( red pumpkin) u can also use squash instead of pumpkin.

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