Sweet-and-Sour Butternut Squash or Pumpkin

Name: Sweet-and-Sour Butternut Squash or Pumpkin
Yield: serves 4¿5
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons mustard or olive oil; A generous pinch of ground asafetida; 1/2 teaspoon whole brown or yellow mustard seeds; 4 cups (1 1/4 pounds) peeled and seeded butternut squash or pumpkin, cut into 3/4–1-inch segments; 3/4–1 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar; 1/8–1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 tablespoon plain yogurt; 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

December 9, 2011

This belongs to a category of Bangladeshi foods known as bharats. Part relish and part vegetable dish, they add extra flavor to a meal. We are beginning to find peeled and seeded butternut squash in our supermarkets now, making this dish a snap to make. Those who cannot find it will need to use a peeler to get the skin off. I like to use mustard oil here, as it gives a very Bengali taste to the dish. If you have never used it, this might be a good time to try. Otherwise, use olive oil. I love this with all pork dishes and at vegetarian meals with other vegetables, dal, and pooris (a deep-fried flatbread).

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