SIMPLE BUTTERNUT
It’s squash time — the big bulbous type rather than the stuff you dilute from a bottle (or the quickfire ball-and-racket game). While the butternut squash has become a supermarket staple, it usually gets chucked into dishes such as soups, stews and curries rather than making a shiny appearance as the star of a dish. Much sweeter than your average squash or gourd and more mashable, with a thin, easy-to-remove peel, I absolutely love this beautiful orange jewel.
This super simple recipe — just three ingredients, or four if you fancy a bit of garlic in there — became one of my favourite dishes in my six-week postpartum. This was thanks to my mum, who created and perfected it over the many times she cooked it for me, after butternut with a bit of Ajwain was recommended by my friend, Vaidya Seema Datta, who looked after me in my pregnancy. I enjoyed it with amaranth rotis, or with dal and rice. Sautéed in ghee with salt and pepper, and a new spice for me, a tiny seed called Ajwain, I found it heavenly on the tastebuds and it felt good in my belly.
Ajwain is used in Indian and Ayurvedic cooking like asafoetida and turmeric to enhance the digestibility of foods. Like with both of the above spices, I have fallen head over heels for its subtle flavour in cooking, which takes a front seat in this dish. A member of the carrot family along with parsley, celery, cumin and caraway, the flavour of Ajwain is similar to thyme when nibbled raw but more intense, with a sharp kick to it.
Ajwain amps up digestion, so it’s a good one to get to know as we move into Vata and then Kapha season, and especially good to pair with roots and squashes and any other heavy or Kapha-type foods. Ajwain helps to relieve gas, relax intestinal cramping and warm up cold digestion (ah, that’s why I love it!). Due to its Pitta qualities, keep this spice on the downlow if you are feeling or have a tendency to be Pitta-aggravated and save it for the cold weather.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 3 as part of a dish
1 medium butternut (600g)
½ tsp Ajwain
1 tbsp ghee (or your favorite cooking oil)
Salt and pepper to taste
Water ¼ cup (60ml or 4tbsp)
METHOD
Peel the butternut (a potato peeler works well) and scoop out the seeds.
Chop the butternut into 1-inch chunks.
Heat the ghee on a medium-high heat in a large saucepan — I use a wok shape and sauté the Ajwain for a minute or two until aromatic.
Add the butternut and sauté for a few minutes, then add the water and cover. When it comes up to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until tender and slightly fluffy and falling apart at the edges.
Serve with homemade breads or dal and rice or use it to top your kitchari.
East by West tips
Change it up by adding a little garlic or onion — great ingredients to enjoy in moderation in winter for their heating qualities.
Serve it as a side where you might usually have potatoes.
Delicious with the coconut lentil hotpot.
Swap it in for the mushrooms in this farinata.
Try it with a fermented buckwheat pancake and a crumble of cheese for a savoury galette-style lunch.