By Dr.Sirisha Potluri:
Ingredients
1.Butternut squash ( bite size pieces 4-5 cups)
2. 2 cups of frozen green peas
3. 6-7 garlic cloves
4. 3 inch ginger piece
5. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. Spices ( cumin seeds , 4-5 cloves , 1 table spoon turmeric powder, 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon powder, 2 teaspoons red chili powder, 1/2 tea spoon garam masala ( optional) salt to taste
7. 1 and 1/2 red onion cut into medium size pieces
8. I big bunch of cilantro thinly chopped
9. 1/4 cup of cashews soaked for an hour . ( make thick milk in the blender adding water ) low fat coconut milk can be used too or any non dairy milk .
Procedure
In a thick bottom deep pan , dry roast 1 table spoon of cumin seeds and add crushed garlic pieces and ginger pieces and also add 1 teaspoon of ginger garlic paste , sauté for a minute and add onions , salt to taste , after sauté for 5-6 minutes, add cloves and red chili powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric too, . Now add the butternut squash pieces and mix everything so that the pieces are coated with spices . Put the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Now add green peas and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add thick cashew milk about 2-3 cups and mix everything and cook for 5 minutes and add chopped cilantro. Serve warm with rice or flat bread .
Butternut squash is available in most seasons . It tastes great in so many recipes. It stores well and now available in most stores peeled and cut for ready to use. The nutritional content of squash makes it beneficial for digestion, blood pressure, asthmatic patients and for healthy skin and hair, among others. Butternut squash is also a good source of vitamin E, thiamine, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, pantothenic acid, and manganese. It’s great source of B- carotene , which is good for lung health and asthmatics A cup of cubed butternut squash also provides 582 mg of potassium, more than the amount available in a banana , making it a great vegetable for someone with high blood pressure. One cup of butternut squash provides about 6.6 grams of fiber. The AHA recommend consuming 25 grams of fiber a day for a 2,000 calorie diet.
