a better butternut squash with nigella seeds (sorry, ottolenghi!)

yotam ottolenghi. a man who creates brilliantly unique and fantastic flavor combinations… with the most unnecessary techniques. don’t worry – i am here to simplify and affordable-ify.

i do pick on ottolenghi, but it’s out of love. the man has *tons* of unique recipes – maybe thousands – and googling any vegetable on earth + his name will return a host of fantastic, even novel flavor combinations. he is not even in my top ten most irritating food celebrities. i would call this man “extra” – but i respect and admire him, even in the face of fusion that i might call “painful clickbait” (sicilian-sichuan fusion? please don’t put pine nuts and raisins in your mapo tofu.)

this recipe – one of his many, many, many winter squash recipes – tastes just like it looks. absolutely delicious.

as has become tradition around here, i will share his exact recipe, as well as my version, describing all the techniques i find absolutely unnecessary. i will make the recipe not only more accessible, but more affordable. come on, it’s 2022, who among us can afford to waste food?

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the original: yotam ottolenghi’s roasted butternut squash recipe, courtesy of the blendergirl

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  tablespoons vegan butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced (1½ cups/170 g)
• 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/4-inch/3-cm chunks (2 3/4 lb/1 kg)
• 3 1/2  tablespoons  raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 1/4  teaspoon  nigella seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon  ground turmeric
• 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 large cinnamon stick
• 1 green chile, halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon  super-fine sugar
• 1 scant cup (200ml) vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup (150g) vegan Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon  finely chopped cilantro
• Celtic sea salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC.
2. Place the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for about 8 minutes, until soft. Add the squash, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to color. Remove from the heat and add the pumpkin seeds, 1 teaspoon of the nigella seeds, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, chile, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and transfer to a baking sheet large enough to hold the vegetables in a single but snug layer, about 10 by 12-inches/25 by 30-cm. Pour the stock over the squash and roast for 30 minutes, until the squash is tender. Set aside for about 10 minutes: the liquid in the pan will continue to be absorbed.
3. Serve warm, with the yogurt spooned on top or on the side, along with a sprinkling of the cilantro and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon nigella seeds.

Recipe from Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi (and discovered thanks to the blendergirl‘s write-up of yotam ottolenghi’s roasted butternut squash recipe – check out her lovely photo and write-up!)

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friedsig’s version of ottolenghi’s roasted butternut squash w nigella seeds

Ingredients

• 3/4 T. butter or margarine
• 1/2 T. olive oil or neutral oil
• half of any onion, sliced thin
• a medium-sized butternut squash, or any winter squash, sweet potatoes, or anything similar (about 2 lbs. – frozen is fine)
• a tablespoon or more pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 t. nigella seed (or substitute maybe 1/2 t. or so of garlic or onion powder)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• a pinch of turmeric, or more if you love turmeric like me
• 1 or 2 cardamom pods, crushed, skins removed
• 1/4 t. ground cinnamon
• sprinkling of red pepper flakes, or half a small minced chili pepper
• a pinch of sugar, or more if you like sweet
• 1 scant cup (200ml) broth or stock
• salt, to taste
• a little plain yogurt to top it with (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF/220ºC.
2. Place the butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for about 8 minutes, until soft. Add the squash, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to color. Remove from the heat and add the pumpkin seeds, 1 teaspoon of the nigella seeds, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, chile, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mix well and transfer to a baking sheet lined with tinfoil large enough to hold the vegetables in a single but snug layer, about 10 by 12-inches/25 by 30-cm. Pour the stock over the squash and roast for 30 minutes, until the squash is tender. Set aside for about 10 minutes: the liquid in the pan will continue to be absorbed.
3. Serve hot. If you want, serve with plain yogurt. Or chicken. Or whatever you like.
   
   
   

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alterations – and why

1. while sauteed onions are delicious – do you really want to wash a skillet AND a sheet pan? the whole point of a sheet pan dinner is you have one pan to wash. sure, you can saute the onions in a skillet and brown the squash – if you want to wash twice as many dishes! unless you have a house full of kids who will wash your dishes, it’s just… extra.
   
2. half a cinnamon stick?! whole?!? on a sheet pan?!? roasting released the cinnamony aroma – my apartment smelled amazing – but just a half-hour in an oven is not sufficient to infuse the entire sheet pan with cinnamon. whole cinnamon stick is amazing in applications where something is simmering for a long period of time. of course you’ll want a whole cinnamon stick in your Glühwein – in your lu rou fan with its two-hour braise – maybe even in your moroccan chickpeas and apricots. but a whole cinnamon stick on a pan of roasted vegetables just makes zero practical sense. you could grate even a sixteenth of that cinnamon stick and get way more cinnamon flavor. i tried it his way – you have to give a world-famous chef the benefit of the doubt sometimes (unless it’s david chang). but i found it to be a total waste of the ingredient. save yourself a few bucks – grate the thing instead.
   
3. ditto on the chili pepper. maybe not the most expensive ingredient – but what on earth is the point of leaving the chili whole? is it like “button, button, who’s got the button” or the baby in a king cake? like, “hey dinner party guests, the meal is mild for everyone except for one person. who will get the whole chili pepper?!” it’s a totally irrational choice, and the spice did not permeate through the sheet pan. better to sprinkle just a bit of red pepper flakes. hell, even hot sauce would be a smarter choice.
   
4. the tinfoil. if you could see my sheet pan covered in burnt vegetable stock…
   
5. the sugar. a tablespoon of sugar on something as sweet as butternut squash? i mean, i won’t stop you. but why? okay, yes, in the photo, the stock and sugar melted down into a glaze that looks absolutely lovely. extremely photogenic. if you’re making this recipe for social media clout, then by all means, glaze your squash. however – and i say this as a person who loves a khatta meetha (sweet and sour) meal – butternut squash is naturally sweet enough.
   
6. celtic sea salt? my guy. bless your heart. i don’t own a single grain of celtic sea salt. i promise the salt you have in your cabinet is just perfect for this recipe.

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It tastes like a slightly more affordable/easy/westernized version of kaddu ki subji (Indian sweet and sour squash). If you are a fennel/licorice disliker, cooking for someone picky, or on a budget, this Ottolenghi version is a fantastic (and flavorful enough) version. It really does taste good – just not the wild flavor bomb of a kaddu ki subji. I definitely recommend this recipe for anyone who likes squash, especially for someone who is a bit intimidated by the sheer quantity of spices that an authentic Indian recipe calls for. Which do I prefer? No contest; the unhinged amounts of fennel in the kaddu ki subji is my top choice. However, I might prefer to cook Ottolenghi’s for company – not only because I am on a budget, but there are so many fenugreek and fennel dislikers out there, and I think almost anyone could get down with Ottolenghi’s version.

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If you love an Ottolenghi recipe with a bit of a more affordable and easy spin on it, check out my better miso butter onion (sorry, Yotam Ottolenghi!). Of course, check out the people who brought you this recipe, Yotam Ottolenghi and the Blender Girl. If you are in the market for something fun to do with winter squash, check out soup joumou (haitian pumpkin soup), vegan pumpkin (or squash) gnocchi, or a simple and hearty curried red lentil, squash, and coconut soup.

kaddu ki subji (Indian sweet and sour squash) – 500TH RECIPE!

Want a fantastic vegan recipe that is stunningly delicious, with a kick of sour and savory, and unlike any squash recipe you know?

• 4 cups cubed winter squash (acorn, butternut, or similar)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1/8 tsp asafetida (hing) [or garlic/onion powder]
  
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder (dhania)
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds coarsly ground (saunf)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)
• 1 tsp chili powder, or less if you like mild
  
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt  (I used closer to a half-teaspoon)
  
• 4 whole dried red chilies
• 1 tbsp shredded ginger
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp mango powder
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (hara dhania)

instructions

1. Peel and cut the squash into cubes. Save about ¼ of the squash peel and chop them.

   In a small bowl, mix the shredded ginger, coriander powder, funnel, red chili powder, paprika, turmeric, and ¼ cup of water to make a paste.

2. Heat the oil in a pan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready. Add cumin seeds and asafetida after seeds crack add fenugreek seeds and red chilies and stir for a few seconds.
3. Add the spice paste and stir-fry for a minute until spices start leaving the oil.
   
   
4. Add the squash, squash peels, salt, and ¼ cup of water. Mix well. Cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Squash will be semi mushy.
   
   
5. Make sure to stir gently every 3 to 4 minutes. Check if more water needed.
   
   
6. Lastly, add the mango powder, sugar and chopped cilantro. Mix everything and cover for a minute. Adjust the salt to your taste.

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another winning recipe written and created by Manjula – check out Manjula’s kitchen for the full recipe with video and photo!

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I was honestly blown away by this recipe. I can’t think of any recipe that calls for A TABLESPOON of ground fennel seed, and I was worried this would be overly licorice-y. It’s truly perfect, though.

I modified this recipe by leaving out the cilantro (don’t have any,) and the amchur powder (couldn’t find mine after reorganizing my spices a few months ago). I added extra fresh lemon and lime juice to compensate and get that sour kick. I also replaced the asafoetida with onion and garlic powder.

It’s hard to describe this recipe. This is the perfect FIVE HUNDREDTH recipe on fried sig because it’s everything I love. It’s affordable, it’s easy to prepare, it keeps well (the leftovers only got better each day,) it’s savory and sour and sweet, it’s healthy, and it’s very different than my typical squash recipes.

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If you’re looking for other creative and healthy ways to use butternut, acorn, or other winter squash, consider squash and red lentil soup, or callaloo!

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Thanks so much for reading friedsig! Yes, this is the 500th recipe posted on friedsig! Can’t believe this blog is still truckin’ on, FIVE HUNDRED recipes later.

500 recipes, and still hungry….

moroccan roasted vegetable soup

just adding this one ingredient (ras-el-hanout – a moroccan spice blend that’s complex and amazing) to a basic roasted vegetable soup is a total game-changer.

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roast one full cookie sheet of chopped veggies (I did carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, red potatoes, whole cloves of garlic, and butternut squash) coated in olive oil

roast an onion, too, or chop it raw and saute it in a soup pot or dutch oven.

when soft, add the roasted veggie chunks and a bunch of stock or broth of some kind, whatever you have in the house. also add ras-el-hanout to taste. the original recipe calls for a tablespoon, but my blend is very spicy with tons of cayenne, and barely a teaspoonful was enough.

when everything is totally soft, after simmering for a while, blend the soup and serve.

you can top with plain yogurt, and/or fresh mint.

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adapted by friedsig from the bbc

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almost exactly the same as the vegetable soup i normally make, but the simple addition of ras el hanout makes it taste totally new again. if you’re bored of the same old veggie soup you always make, definitely give this a try! i always make curried red lentil and squash soup, but coconut milk is getting really pricey, and this is a great alternative!

this is one of my newest vegan soup favorites. i will 100% be making this again soon.

curried red lentil, squash, and coconut soup

i think this is one of the best pureed soups i’ve tried – but maybe that’s because i haven’t eaten solid food in a week. if you are on a soft foods diet on order of dentist or doctor, make sure to add this one. it’s full of medicinal spices like turmeric and garlic. get well soon!

[edit 2018: still one of my favorite soups. and yes, i got my tooth filled since this post, haha.]

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roast a big (or 2 little) butternut squash (or acorn, or whatever you like)

saute onions and carrots in a dutch oven over medium heat

when soft, add a clove or two of garlic, and stir 2 mins

add:
– chicken stock, vegetable stock, or even lightly salted water
– a tablespoon or 2 of “curry powder” (or make your own with a lot of coriander, some turmeric and cayenne, and a little fenugreek, mustard powder, cumin, black pepper [to help your body absorb the turmeric,] and curry leaf – or whatever you have around)
– the flesh of the roasted squash
– between a half-cup and a cup of red split lentils (masoor dal)
– a good amount of ginger paste or ginger juice

bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes

throw everything into a blender or food processor, or mash well.

return to pot and add coconut milk. use a whole can, unless you don’t like the taste of coconut – then just add a half-can.

reheat, adjust spices if necessary

turn off heat, and add fresh lemon juice to taste, about 1/2 to one whole lemon.

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recipe sloppily adapted by friedsig from a few different recipes, mostly this epicurious version

soup joumou (haitian pumpkin soup)

two versions: VEGAN and MEATY!

This Haitian pumpkin soup looks amazing for warming up in January. & in fact, this soup is traditionally eaten on the New Year to celebrate Haitian independence. There is a great read about why Haitians celebrate their independence with this pumpkin soup on soupsong (or a short version here if you like!)

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VEGAN VERSION!:

2 lbs pumpkin
one small cabbage, diced; or one package of extra-firm tofu, cut into chunks; or one package of tempeh, cut into chunks; or 1 eggplant, diced; or anything that you like to eat that can be marinated

marinade:
2 limes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme
2 scallions
salt and pepper
soup:
1 habanero, seeded (less if you don’t like spicy food)
2 whole cloves, or a pinch of clove powder
veggie stock, or bouillon cube and water

any combination of:
cabbage
celery
carrots
potatoes
turnips
bell pepper
a few sprigs of parsley
malanga
1/4 lb vermicelli or other small pasta, broken up
pat of margarine or drizzle of oil

roast about 2 pounds of pumpkin, or cut up and boil in stockpot.
smash or puree once cooked.

marinate the meat substitute or vegetable of your choice in a paste of onion, shallot, fresh garlic and/or garlic powder, thyme, scallions, salt, and black pepper (green peppercorns if you have them, too.. but it’s not necessary.) marinate between an hour and a day.

bring water to a boil in a soup pot. add the pumpkin, habanero, and clove powder. if you are using eggplant or cabbage or some other firm veggie, add it now. simmer for a half-hour or so. add hard vegetables. cook until soft. if marinating something delicate like tofu, add now, along with vermicelli, parsley, and margarine, and cook until pasta is soft.

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MEATY VERSION!:

2 lbs pumpkin
1lb beef stew meat

marinade:
2 limes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp thyme
2 scallions
salt and pepper

soup:
1 habanero, seeded (less if you don’t like spicy food)
2 whole cloves, or a pinch of clove powder
stock, broth, or bouillon cube and water

any combination of:
cabbage, celery, carrots, potatoes, turnips, bell pepper, a few sprigs of parsley, malanga, 1/4 lb vermicelli or other small pasta, broken up, and a pat of butter or margarine

roast about 2 pounds of pumpkin, or cut up and boil in stockpot.
smash or puree once cooked.

take a pound of beef stew meat, and squeeze half a lime over the meat. rub the other half of the lime on the meat. rinse meat. marinate it in a paste of onion, shallot, fresh garlic and/or garlic powder, thyme, scallions, salt, and black pepper (green peppercorns if you have them, too.. but it’s not necessary.) marinate between an hour and a day.

bring water to a boil in a soup pot. add the pumpkin, beef, habanero, and clove powder. simmer for an hour or two. add hard vegetables. cook until soft. add vermicelli, parsley, and butter, and cook until pasta is soft.

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adapted from love for haitian food, soupsong, and axis of logic by friedsig

 

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update 1/2016 –
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! tweaked this to make an extremely lazy version that’s great for a quick dinner if you have a few roasted squash in your fridge. it tastes great, so i can only imagine how good the real soup tastes.

just sauteed some diced onions, carrots, parsnips, and poblanos in a soup pot.

when soft, i poured in tons of homemade stock, and simmered everything with cloves and thyme for a while.

then added tons of roasted squashes (like butternut, acorn, hubbard, and golden nugget) and little soup noodles.

when everything fell apart, i turned off the heat and squeezed in some fresh limes. fantastic soup! will definitely make the real deal soon.

vegan spinach or collard callaloo

Callaloo is a soup. Or is it a sauce? Thin, or thick? It’s as thick as you want it to be! Play with the amount of water you add for your favorite consistency. Okra has a bad reputation because of its texture, but here it holds together the greens.

Callaloo is made in Jamaica, Trinidad, and all over the Caribbean! It is traditionally made with dasheen (taro) leaves. Go with any leafy green that’s fresh!

Easiest method ever. Boil everything for a while. Then eat it. That’s it!

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about 2 lbs of chopped collard, torn spinach, lamb’s quarter, kale, or whatever dark leafy greens you have (remove the toughest ribs if you’re using thick greens like collard)
1/4 cup pumpkin or other winter squash, peeled and chopped
8 okra, trimmed (fresh if you can)
1 – 2 cans of coconut milk, then fill the cans with water and add those
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, chopped
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional – just a deseeded piece if you like it mild, or whole if you like it extra hot)
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
2 sprigs thyme
1 tsp. parsley, finely chopped
stock, broth, or water and bouillon (as needed)
Salt to taste

Add everything to a soup pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes (with baby spinach or other young greens) or an hour (for collards or tough older greens), or until the greens are tender. Leave the heat fairly low and stir often – coconut milk will burn. You will have to add extra liquid if it gets thick, so keep an eye on it. You can add stock or broth if you have it, or even just water.

When it’s done, add a teaspoon or two of butter or margarine.

Simply Trini shows it over rice with avocado slices and chunks of meat. It’s just as good with rice and beans!

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adapted from simply trini cooking and caribbean pot

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edit 1/14/2016

It’s delicious! I made it with a pound of baby spinach, green chard, red chard, and kale, and a small golden nugget squash. I left out the parsley and okra and it was still great. If you like your greens sweet, you’ll love this!

ghalieh kadoo (easy one-pot persian lentil & butternut squash stew)

Fast, easy, vegetarian, cooked in one pot, super healthy, and just a few ingredients! This is a traditional Persian recipe.

an onion, minced
oil
1 medium butternut squash, skin & seeds removed, cut into 2 in. chunks
150g lentils (3/4 c.)
3 c water
salt & pepper
1 T lemon juice

Fry an onion in oil until golden. Add everything but the lemon juice and simmer on med-low, covered, until water is mostly absorbed. Turn off heat and add lemon juice before serving.

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modified from cooking and cooking

groundnut (peanut) and pumpkin stew

fry garlic in oil

add:
cinnamon
cumin
salt
pepper
ginger
clove
nutmeg (pinch)
a bay leaf
dried hot peppers (or minced fresh ones)

-black-eyed peas or black beans
-winter squash like pumpkin, butternut, or acorn
-2 drops of fish sauce or a small tinned fish (optional)
-stock, or bouillon and water

cook until stew-y

add:
a nut butter like peanut or almond

top with roasted peanuts, or a dollop of plain yogurt, or cilantro, or all 3

vegan pumpkin (or squash) gnocchi

15 OZ PUMPKIN/SQUASH
SALT, PEPPER, NUTMEG
2 3/4 C FLOUR
1/3 C BUTTER
6-7 CHOPPED SAGE LEAVES
1 CLOVE MINCED GARLIC

DIVIDE DOUGH INTO ROPES AND SLICE.

SALT WATER AND BOIL UNTIL THEY FLOAT.

made two batches – GF and non-GF. i added a little extra “flour” and a whole egg to the GF batch, and froze the dough for a few mins before boiling it. the non-GF dough didn’t give any problems and were delightfully gluteny and sweet. the GF folks were delighted by having homemade GF pasta. this was my first attempt at any sort of pasta and they were as easy as dumplings.

both batches turned out fantastically. i’ll definitely be making these again.