kadoo boranee | Bewitching Kitchen

My first cooking post in 2016 needs to be special, and special it will be. Maybe you don’t like butternut squash, maybe you are anti-pumpkin in general, but even if you are, please bear with me. I fell in love with this recipe from the moment I tried the first bite, not sure what to expect. Kelly blogged about it a while ago, a great post crowned with the sweetest photo of her and her husband on the evening they got engaged just a few months ago (wink, wink, wink). I can understand how this humble butternut squash preparation could leave such a strong impression. It is warm, it is creamy, it is luscious, at the same time refreshing due to the acidity of the yogurt. You must, absolutely must make it. Even if you live with a crowd of picky eaters who are afraid of squash. Dare them to try a little bite. They won’t be able to stop there.

KADOO BORANEE
(very slightly modified from Inspired Edibles)

for the butternut squash:
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound butternut squash, cubed
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup liquid (mixture of veggie stock + water)

for the yogurt sauce:
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
good pinch of salt
1 clove garlic, smashed

for topping:
toasted slivered almonds and dried mint

Make the yogurt sauce by whisking together: yogurt, sour cream, salt and garlic in a bowl – cover and place in fridge while prepping the remaining ingredients.

Purée onion in a small blender/food processor. In a separate small dish, combine the dry spices: turmeric, cumin, chili, coriander & ginger.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over low-medium heat and sautée onion until golden. Add fresh ginger, and the ground dry spices: turmeric, cumin, chili, coriander and ground ginger, stirring until the seasonings are well combined and fragrant. Add tomato paste, broth, water, sugar and salt, mixing well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the cubed butternut squash.

Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes (lifting the lid to stir the squash once or twice during this time). Remove the lid for the remaining cooking time until the squash is tender but still holding its shape. Continue to stir the squash on occasion and use more water or stock while cooking, if needed. The goal is to have about 80% of the seasoned liquid absorbed into the squash while retaining the remaining liquid as a golden sauce.

Remove yogurt sauce from the fridge, reserve about 2 tablespoons, and spread the rest on plates to make a base for the squash. Top each yogurt base with some of the warm butternut squash, then add a bit more yogurt sauce on top, sprinkling the toasted almonds and dried mint right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This preparation goes to my personal Hall of Fame of Veggies. I cannot think of a better way to enjoy butternut squash, in fact it would work for all kinds of pumpkin, I am sure, as long as you respect their optimal cooking time. As Kelly says in her post, you could omit the sour cream if you prefer to keep it lighter, but it does add a lot to the dish in terms of texture and also taste. Try it exactly this way, you won’t be disappointed. I added toasted slivered almonds, my main modification to the recipe. I like the added crunch and feel that almonds go very well with squash and all the spices in the sauce.

Kelly, thanks for yet another great recipe!

Looking forward to more deliciousness coming from your blog…

. holidays