Curried Butternut Squash with Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1. 1 butternut squash peeled and diced
   
2. 1 tin of chickpeas
   
3. 2 red dry chili
4. a pinch of asafoetida
5. 1 tablespoon panch phoron/Indian five spice 
   
6. 2 green chili pepper, 
   
7. 1teaspoon grated ginger
8. 1 teaspoon turmeric
9. 1 teaspoon red chili powder (optional)
10. 1 teaspoon sugar
11. salt
12. 2 tablespoons oil 
    
13. 1 teaspoon butter

Indian Five spice

Equal parts of the following

mustard seeds

cumin seeds

fenugreek seed

fennel seeds

nigella or onion seeds

Method:

Peel and dice the squash. 

Divide the panch phoron/Indian five spice into half. Save half the amount and lightly roast the other half. Cool the roasted spices and finely grind them. You can save if you have any leftover, for later use.

Coat the squash with oil and oven bake at 180c until it starts to soften

Heat the oil in a pan. Put half of the panch phoron/Indian five spice, dry chilies, and the asafoetida in the hot oil.  When they sizzle in about 30 seconds, add the diced squash, salt, sugar, turmeric and chile powder and toss them till all the oil and the spices coat the dices squash.

 Add the ginger, slit green chilies, and the brown chickpeas. Stir and toss them. Cook at medium heat for about 4 minutes.  toss and cover and cook till the diced squash are cooked through – fork tender, but not mushy. They should still be holding their shapes. If there is still any liquid left, cook and dry it off. (I like to make this a dry dish. Some prefer to have some liquid left. Have it your way.)

When they are done, just before you switch off the heat, add a teaspoon of butter and one teaspoon of the roasted five spice powder. Switch off the heat and garnish with fresh cilantro and chilli  flakes if you want.