Kadu Bouranee (Sweet Braised Squash with Garlic Yogurt)

Then prep

• Peel and seed the squash. Cut it into 2-inch chunks. Put them in a bowl.
• Slice the onion thin. Put it in a bowl.
• Grate the garlic: 2 cloves for the squash, 1 clove for the yogurt. Keep them in separate small bowls.
• Add the 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander and 1/2 tsp ginger to the bowl with the 2 squash garlic cloves. This is the spice bowl.
• Mix the 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 cup water in a measuring cup. This is the braising liquid.
• Mix the 1 cup yogurt, the 1 grated yogurt clove and the 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. This is the garlic yogurt. Put it in the fridge.
• Set out a Dutch oven with a lid, a plate for the squash, a serving platter and the 1 tsp dried mint.
• Everything is ready. Wash the board and put the knife away.

Ingredients

• 2 lbbutternut squash or sugar pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 1onion, thinly sliced
• 2 clovesgarlic, grated (squash)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 tspground ginger
• 2 tbspsugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 cupwater
• 1 cupwhole-milk plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clovegarlic, grated
• 1/4 tspsalt
• 1 tspdried mint
• naan, to serve

Steps

1. Heat the 3 tbsp oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high.
2. Add the squash in one layer. Brown 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until browned on two sides.
3. Move the squash to the plate.
4. Turn the heat to medium. Add the onion.
5. Cook the onion 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft.
6. Add the spice bowl. Stir 1 minute.
7. Return the squash to the pot.
8. Pour in the braising liquid. Stir gently.
9. Turn the heat to low. Cover and cook 25 to 30 minutes. Set a timer for the low end of that range. While it cooks: wash the squash plate and the bowls, and set out the naan.
10. When the timer goes, poke a chunk of squash. It's done when it's very tender but still holding its shape. If not, cover and check again in a few minutes.
11. Take the garlic yogurt out of the fridge. Spread it on the platter.
12. Spoon the squash and its sauce on top of the yogurt.
13. Crumble the 1 tsp dried mint over it. Serve with naan.

Notes

Traditional versions are sweeter. Add another tablespoon of sugar if you want it closer to the restaurant dish. The garlic yogurt can be mixed ahead and kept in the fridge. These are our own versions in the Milk Street style, not recipes from the book. Written from the standard method, not yet cooked.