Butternut Squash Kootu Recipe

     It has been almost 2 months since my last post. Was feverishly practising to drive 4 wheeler and obtain my licence, due to which I had to abandon my blog for a longtime. During one weekend we visited a relative at Virgina, who gave us their fresh home grown produce - Butternut Squash. Thanks to Banu akka I could make a new recipe and here it is for the blog :) :)
Haven't tasted this vegetable before and was eager to make something with it. MIL made a spicy kootu the other day and I reserved the remaining to make a simple kootu which my mom makes. The name of the vegetable may sound hi-fi and long, but it resembles the pumpkin family :P in taste. 

Prep Time: 5 mins || Cook Time: 25 mins || Category: Side-dish for rice/roti || Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1. Butternut Squash - 1/2
2. Bengal Gram - 75 gm
3. Grated coconut -100 gm
4. Curry leaves - a sprig
5. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
7. Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
8. Hing - a generous pinch
9. Salt - as required

Method:
1. Rinse the bengal gram and add some water just enough to immerse it and then pressure cook the dal for 2 or 3 whistles. Give it a standing time of 10 mins and then open the cooker.

2. Peel the skin off butternut squash and cut it into small cubes. Wash them and cook them in boiling water for 8-10 mins or until they are cooked softly. 

3. Heat coconut oil and add mustard seeds. After they splutter add cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing and then grated coconut and fry it to light golden brown stirring in intervals.

4. To the cooked dal, add the cooked squash and give a stir. 

 5. Add the golden fried grated coconut tempering and required amount of salt and stir well.

 Suggestions:

•      Can also add dry red chili to the tempering. 
•      Instead of sauteing the coconut with cumin seeds, it can also be ground to a paste and added, so that the kootu is more of a gravy like consistency.
•      I have used coconut oil as it gives a nice taste and aroma.