Saturday, November 15, 2008

Curried Butternut Squash with Rice and Lentils

The other day after leaving the museum I work at, Sutro and I went to make our weekly farmer's market trip.  We got there but no no one else was!  Apparently it was done for the season.  Friday may still be there, though.  But I prefer the Tuesday one because for some reason Friday gets the crazy soccer mom crowd.  Tuesday is much more sedate, mostly retirees and the like.  I'm not fighting bleached, tanned, 30 somethings for a tomato.  Instead I hold a place in line for an older woman when she runs off to check if another vendor has "that delicious broccoli from last week that you just MUST get!"

So instead we head off to Sutherland because Claire has been raving about a vegetable market over there.  Plus there's the East Asian and Middle Eastern markets over that way.  We get over there and find the vegetable market selling Cruze Farm milk, but there are no local eggs.  Unless local is from Indiana.  Boo!  So we grab a butternut squash, some onions, non-local eggs (boo on us!), and a head of garlic.

Then onto Holy Land Market.  I was hoping to grab some of the celebrated Chicken Curry Salad to snack on before dinner was ready, but Sutro jumped the gun and ordered some funky and yummy meat pies before I got to ask for the CCS.  So we left with some Basmati Rice, Kahfir Cheese, and oil cured black olives, which were so very yummy.  Then we came home and made up dinner, naturally.




Curry Butternut Squash with Rice and Lentils

Note that you'll have time to prepare the rice while making this recipe.  I had some trouble peeling my butternut squash, so I actually chopped it into 6 big chunks and tossed them in some boiling water for about 3 minutes.  This softened them enough the the skin came off very easily.  Also, during a later meal of this, I poached an egg and topped the meal with that.  The drizzly yolk (I love gooey yolks) melded well with the flavor of the cheese.

4-6 servings (meals)

2 cups of prepared rice, warm.

1 cup of lentils, rinsed and picked through for stones
3.5 cups of water
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped small
1 tsp whole cumin
1tbsp curry powder
2 large cloves of garlic
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced.
Handful of greens (I used snowpeas)
1/2 to 3/4 c kafhir cheese

In a pot, fill with 3 cups of water and 1 cup of lentils.  Boil until soft (about 30 min).  When cooked, drain and add to rice.

While the lentils are boiling, in medium-large put oil, garlic, and onions over medium heat.  Cover and let cook until onions are translucent.  Put in butternut squash and 1/2 cup of water.  Stir in cumin and curry powder.  Cook on high, covered for 15 minutes.  Then uncover, toss in greens, and let cook until water is gone.

Serve with rice and lentils, add a scoop of butternut squash and greens.  Top with a dollap of Kafhir cheese dusted with curry powder.

1 comment:

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