Butternut squash curry

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of oil
• Sprig of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
• 1 large onion sliced fine
• 4 cloves of garlic sliced fine
• 2″cinnamon piece
• 3 whole dried chilies (you can substitute with 1/2 a teaspoon of red chili flakes, add more for spice or less for a mild curry)
• 1/2 a teaspoon of red chili powder(reduce or increase as per your need)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder(substitute with a good curry powder)
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 500 g of butternut squash(if you are a small family of 2-4 choose smaller butternut weighing roughly 300g)
• 1-2 cups of water to cook the butternut squash
• 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of thick coconut milk(depending on how much gravy you want)

Instructions

1. 1

   How to clean and cut butternut squash for the curry.Wash the butternut well and wipe clean.

2. 2

   Place the squash on its side, keep in mind that cutting through it can be difficult as the butternut has thicker skin than the pumpkin.

3. 3

   You will also need to be careful and hold the squash firmly to avoid it slipping as you cut through the skin.

4. 4

   Use a heavy knife to cut the stem and the bottom and then cut the butternut in two.

5. 5

   The thick rounded slices can be cut in half while scooping out the seeds.

6. 6

   Cut these squash wedges into half which will result in smaller cubes as shown below.

7. 7

   Cooking the curried butternut squash.Place pan over a low-medium fire.

8. 8

   Pour in the oil(4 tbsp). let it warm for a few seconds.

9. 9

   Add sliced onions(2 medium), curry leaves(a sprig, substitute with a bay leaf), sliced cloves of garlic(4), cinnamon piece(2″), dried chilies (3 whole, substitute with 1/2 tsp of red chili flakes, increase or decrease as per your need).

10. 10

    Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until the onions turn slightly golden.

11. 11

    Add turmeric powder(1/2 tsp), red chili powder(1/2 tsp), cumin powder(1/2 tsp, you can also substitute with a Sri Lankan curry powder).

12. 12

    Cook over low heat for 1 minute.

13. 13

    Add mustard seeds(1 tsp)and further cook for a minute or two.

14. 14

    Add the butternut squash cubes, season with salt, and continue to cook with the tempering for another 2-3 minutes.

15. 15

    Pour in the water(1 and 1/2 cup)or completely submerge the squash cubes and continue to cook over medium fire.

16. 16

    You can cover and cook until the water reduces and the butternut is somewhat tender. This will probably take about 15-25 minutes.

17. 17

    Pour in the milk(1/2 cup to 1 cup), depending on how much gravy you need.

18. 18

    Reduce heat to low and cook until the curry thickens. stir in the coconut milk, taste, and season with salt if needed.

19. 19

    Once the butternut squash curry is ready, you can do a quick tempering and pour over the curry or serve as it is.