Panch Puran & Butternut Squash

This recipe comes to you without much commentary. It’s an easy and quick way to cook butternut squash and is absolutely divine with the 5 spice mix called ‘panch puran’. “Panch” means five in hindi. Puran means ‘whole’ since the spices are not ground, they are whole.

This is a recipe that I learned from my mom many years ago. One could also use pumpkin in place of the butternut squash.

Panch Puran spice mix contains equal portions of each of the following spices:

• Fenugreek seeds (methi) (upper right in picture)
• Nigella seed (kalonji or kala jeera) (upper left in picture)
• Mustard seed (middle lower in picture)
• Cumin seed (jeera) (right lower in picture)
• Fennel seed (lucknawi saunf) (left lower in picture)

Indian grocery stores should have this spice mix available, however, if you cannot find it, you can create your own mix.

Panch Puran & Butternut Squash Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil (canola or other)
• 2.5 teaspoons panch puran (or 1/2 teaspoon of each spice if you do not have the spice mix)
• 1 medium to large sized butternut squash (1-2lbs), peeled, cored and diced into 1/2″ size cubes
• 1/4 cup water
• salt and black pepper to taste

Place a large pan on the stove on medium high heat. When the pan has heated up, add the oil.  When the oil starts to thin (viscosity decreases), add in the panch puran mix all at once. Allow the spice mix to sizzle in the oil until the mustard seeds start to pop. The seeds will start to darken a little and become very fragrant – it is absolutely lovely! This takes about 30 seconds at most. Then add in the diced butternut squash and stir to evenly distribute the spices. Add in the 1/4 cup water and lower the heat to medium. Cover with a lid and leave to cook for 20-30 minutes. Open and stir the squash gently as the squash should be cooked by now. Then lower heat to low and leave to cook with the lid open allow some water to evaporate/cook off. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. After 10 minutes, remove from heat and serve. It tastes good with everything or just own it’s own!