Butternut Squash Sambar

Served as part of almost every meal, every south Indian kitchen has its own staple sambar recipes to hand down to family and friends. At the same time, these thick, fiery and aromatic vegetable stews cooked with dals and tamarind remain an exotic and virtually unknown dish in the rest of the world, even in Indian restaurants. Once you try an authentic sambar, however, these extraordinary delights will never return to anonymity even as they retain the warm and exotic appeal that stirs images of caravans shambling under scorching suns down the ancient spice routes of the subcontinent.

Much simpler to make than the long list of ingredients would suggest, this colourful and seasonal butternut squash sambar adapted from Padma's Udipi Sambhar has an inviting fragrance and a satisfying depth of delightful flavours. Toor dal, or split pigeon peas, are easily found at any Indian grocery, along with tamarind pulp, asafoetida, and any of the other ingredients listed below.

Butternut Squash Sambar

Sambar:

1 cup toor dal
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons tamarind pulp
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
2 medium onions, cut lengthwise into narrow wedges
3-4 fresh hot green chilies, slit lengthwise on one side
small handful fresh or dried curry leaves
1 medium butternut or other winter squash, seeded and cubed
1 medium tomato, cut lengthwise into wedges
1/2 teaspoon rapadura or raw cane sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Sambar spice blend:

2 teaspoons urad dal
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
4 dried whole red chilies
1/2 cup dried grated coconut

Tempering (tadka):

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida
3 dried whole red chilies
small handful fresh or dried curry leaves

Thoroughly rinse the toor dal under running water and soak for 4-6 hours covered in a few inches of cold water. Drain and rinse, then add to a medium saucepan with 2 cups of fresh water with the turmeric and half a tablespoon of the olive oil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the dal is very soft. Remove from heat and gently mash with a potato masher. Set aside.

Meanwhile, dry roast the spice blend ingredients in a stainless steel frying pan or saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring or shaking occasionally, until the coconut has turned a light brown. Grind to a very fine powder in a spice mill, coffee grinder or food processor. Set aside.

Pour hot water over the tamarind pulp in a bowl and let sit. Heat the remaining olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the asafoetida, and immediately add the onion, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the squash and tomato, and add just enough water to cover the vegetables. Cover the pan and cook until the squash is tender but keeps its shape, about 20 minutes depending on the variety of squash and the size of the pieces.

Remove the tamarind pulp and strain the juice through a fine-meshed strainer set over the saucepan. Cover and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Now stir in the spice blend and the sugar and let simmer for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the mashed toor dal and remove from heat.

For the tempering, heat the olive oil in a small stainless steel frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin spluttering and popping, usually a few seconds, add the asafoetida, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Stir for a minute to let the leaves wilt and the chilies brown a little, then pour over the sambar. Cover and let sit a few minutes to let the flavours mingle.

Serve hot in bowls with rice or fresh bread on the side. Serves 6 to 8.

Consider this my contribution to My Legume Love Affair, hosted this month by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all Seasons. Thanks to Susan and Srivalli for rounding up a treasured collection of glorious legume recipes for February's menu.