Creamy okra butter nut squash curry- vegan
Okra is one of the most cooked vegetables in my kitchen. Mostly because, it is a common South Indian veggie that we grew up with and is always a kid favorite because of its crunchy texture. Be it quarantine times or living too far from an Indian store, I go to great lengths to ensure there is always a steady okra supply in my home. I grow my own okra during warmer seasons.
Okra stir fry, okra with tomatoes, okra chutney are common recipes that I make, and lots of okra goes into my sambar. And I run into redundancy with same okra recipes easily. So this one, is perfect answer to welcome the fall season and still enjoy okra that is perennial in my kitchen.
Creamy okra, butter nut squash curry- vegan
A warm, comforting gravy with butternut squash with the crunch of okra.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Blender
Ingredients
- 15 okras ,trim the stalk
- 1/2 medium butter nut squash cubed
- 1/2 sliced red onion
- 1 medium tomato roughly chopped
- 3 medium green chilies slit length wise
- 2 cloves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 Tbsp cashews
- 1 Tbsp tamarind or tamarind paste
- 1.5 Tbsp oil
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- salt to taste
- 2 cups water
- cilantro for garnish
Tempering
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 3 dry red chilies
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida optional
Instructions
- Cut the squash, onions, tomatoes, chilies. Cut the stalks of okra.
- Take 1 Tbsp oil in a bowl, add red chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric powders, a pinch of salt. Mix well. Add okras into this mixture and gently coat them with the mixture. Air fry the okras at 385 F for 8 minutes. Keep them aside
- Take a pan, add 1/2 tbsp oil. And once hot, add the onions, garlic, green chilies, cashew pieces. Saute them for 2 min. Then add tomatoes, butter nut squash pieces. Add salt , mix well. Add the tamarind paste as well. Cover with lid and cook for 6-8 min until the squash is soft. Take all these cooked contents into a blender and blend into smooth paste. You can add 1 cup water if needed for a sauce like consistency.
- Add the blended sauce back into the pan. Add the airfried okras into the sauce. Let it simmer for 10 min. Adjust spice and salt levels as needed. Garnish with cilantro
- Serve hot with roti/ rice.
Tempering.
- In a skillet, add 1/2 tbsp oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, hing. It will add aromatic flavor. Pour it on the cooked curry before serving.
Notes
Fresh okras work very well. If they have been in the fridge for few day, they become little limpy by the end you turn off the stove.
Add dry mango powder instead of tamarind paste, if preferred.
You can try the same recipe with pumpkin instead of squash.