Indian cooking is all about combining different flavors. This butternut squash curry / sabji is the best example. It is a very quick and easy recipe that can be made in under 30 minutes. We need just the basic spices and ingredients to make this curry and it pairs really well with any pulka, poori, or rice. I always have a butternut squash at home because my boys love it. The vegetable by itself has a long shelf life when stored whole. Apart from making this delicious subzi, I make one of our other favorite recipes - Parangikkai Vathal Kuzhambu (spicy tamarind stew with pumpkin).
What kind of squash to use
Back in India, my mother always made this with yellow pumpkin (parangikkai). If I make a trip to Indian stores and I find the yellow pumpkin, I use that to make this Kaddu Ki Subzi. If not my next choice is the butternut squash. I love the sweetness of this squash and that works really well in this curry giving it a sweet back note.
How to peel and chop Butternut Squash
I have had many of my readers comment that they struggle with chopping the butternut squash. Butternut squash is a hardy vegetable and we need a good knife and a sturdy cutting board to chop it. Once we get past the first step of cutting the huge squash into half and then peeling it, the rest of the process becomes easier. I have included a step-by-step pictorial for beginners to help with chopping. Cut the ends and chop the squash in half - Step 1 Peel the butternut squash - Step 2 The bottom (rounder) part of the squash is where the seeds are located. Using a spoon, scrape the seed along with the fibrous flesh and discard. You could also use the seeds to use as roasted pumpkin seeds - Step 3 Chop the squash into an even 1-inch piece. The more uniform the chopped pieces are, the better they will quick - Step 4
Ingredients Needed
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes. We need Onions, Tomatoes, green chili, and ginger apart from the Butternut squash itself. Red or yellow onion can be used. For whole spices, we just need cumin seeds. Apart from this, we need red chili powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder (amchur powder), salt, and sugar to make this delicious butternut squash curry. Sugar is optional but my mom always used it and so do I.
Step-by-Step Process
Peel the pumpkin and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Refer to the pictorial above to learn how to peel and chop the butternut squash.
Heat oil in a wide pan and add the cumin seeds. (step 1)
Once the seeds crackle, add the onions and fry them until translucent. (step 2)
Add the grated ginger and green chilies and fry for a minute more. (step 3)
Add all the spices (red chili powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder) along with salt and sugar and fry for a minute. (step 4)
Then add the chopped tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes are soft. (step 5)
After that add the chopped butternut squash pieces and mix well. (step 6)
Sprinkle some water and then cover the pan. Cook the subzi on low flame until the pumpkin pieces are tender. If needed sprinkle more water and mix often to prevent burning in the bottom. (step 7)
Once the butternut squash pieces are cooked evenly, turn off the flame and serve the curry. (step 8)
Chop the butternut squash into even size pieces. This helps in even cooking without making the curry too mushy. This butternut squash curry has a sweet, spicy, and tangy flavor. The tangy flavor comes from dry mango powder. If this is not available, squeeze a little lemon juice at the end. Ginger gives a lot of flavor to the curry. Do not skip it.
How to serve this Butternut Squash Curry
Our favorite is to eat this kaddu ki subzi with pulkas. It works great with poori or any other Indian flatbread as well. It also works great as a side with rice and a simple dal. I love to make this easy Dali thoy when I am serving it with rice. I also love to stuff the leftover curry as a filling for sandwiches to pack for lunch boxes.
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