Squash and Black-Eyed Peas Stew

This is a rich stew, which can also  dress up as a hearty Fall/Winter Vegetarian Soup with a garnish of crispy fried onions! :-)

This again is part of the re-inventing process with traditional dishes!

And this time it is Olan.

 Ingredients

1 1/2 cup Cubed Squash

1/2 Cup black-eyed beans

1 red chilli [ depending on personal taste for heat level]
or 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 grated coconut

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Curry Leaves for garnish

Coconut Oil for garnish

Method

Soak the black-eyed beans for 1 hour or more

Cook with salt and keep aside.

Grind the grated coconut with cumin and red chilli into a smooth paste, adding water.

Cook the cubed squash with salt and turmeric powder.
When almost done, add the cooked beans and and the coconut paste.
Add turmeric powder  and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves and a drizzle of coconut oil.

Alternately, one can leave the coconut oil and do a tempering with vegetable oil/ghee-clarified butter, adding 1/4 tsp of cumin seeds and 2 finely chopped red shallots.

Squash and Beans Soup!

This is part of the re-inventing process  with  traditional dishes! And yes, have been on a spree of winter melon and squash....:-)
Squash and Peas Clear Soup  has  the subtle flavour of coconut and has been re-invented from the traditional  Olan. Coconut milk gives the richness of cream and can be used: either towards the finishing process or  just as a little garnish for the soup. Garlic cloves are boiled alongwith the squash and give a milder flavour.

Ingredients

1 1/2 Cups Cubed Squash

3/4 Cup Black Eyed Beans

2 non-spicy long green chillies

1/2 Cup thin coconut milk

1/4 cup thick coconut milk

2-3 cloves of garlic crushed

1/4 tsp white pepper powder

2-3 curry leaves

1/2 tsp coconut oil for garnish [ optional]

Optional: for tempering:

 2-3 finely chopped red shallots/sambhar onions

1/ 4 tsp cumin seeds

1 clove garlic finely sliced

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil/ coconut oil and when it reaches the smoking point, temper the cumin and fry the onions and garlic quickly, taking care to see that they don't burn.

Pour over the Soup.

Method

Boil the Squash with about 1 cup of water with the garlic cloves, turmeric powder and salt until cooked but still holding its shape.

Soak the black-eyed peas in cold water for 1 hour or more. Cook the black-eyed peas separately with salt and add to the cooked  squash. Add the thin coconut milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup thick  coconut milk and take off the heat. Drizzle with coconut oil and add freshly torn curry leaves.

Here have just added a drizzle [1 tbsp] of thick coconut milk to the individual bowl of soup. One can either mash up the boiled, softened garlic or  have a milder flavour by leaving the garlic cloves as is.