Delighted with my feature in this months edition of Bahrain Confidential, thank you for visiting at home in one of my favorite places… the kitchen. 🙂 Below is the Bloggers Bytes section taken from the magazine. Considering we are in the month of Ramadan, I thought this dish would make a lighter alternative to serving Thareed at Iftar. This recipe consists of butternut squash, potatoes, chickpeas and baby sweetcorn, simmered in a tomato based broth and finished with a garnish of fresh coriander and mint. This dish is low in fat, easy to prepare and doesn’t take long to cook. If needed, you can make this dish the day before. Not a fan of butternut squash, use carrots instead.
Ramadan is also a time for giving and there are many charitable organizations around the Island that need the support of the local community. You can find charity deposit boxes in some supermarkets as well as some shopping malls where you can easily donate clothes and non perishable goods. Make a Difference (at Bahrain City Center Mall) is just one of the charitable organization across Bahrain, so keep an eye out when next out and about. For those celebrating the holy month of Ramadan, I wish you and your family a Ramadan Kareem.
Butternut Squash, Potato and Chickpea Stew with Fresh Coriander and Mint
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 200g of thinly sliced red onions
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- fresh ginger (1 and 1/2 inch piece), peeled and finely chopped
- 1 or 2 small green chili, finely chopped
- 425g can chopped tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato purée
- 500ml of chicken or vegetable stock
- 500g of butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into chunks
- 500g of waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander
- 1 small whole dried lime, pierce with a knife
- 400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 100g of fresh baby corn, thickly sliced
- 1 extra tablespoon of chopped mint, for garnish
- 2 extra tablespoons of chopped coriander, for garnish
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
How to make:
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat, add the onions and cooked until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and chili, cook for about a minute stirring continuously. Add in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, chicken or vegetable stock, stir together. Next, add in the potatoes, butternut squash, mint, coriander and dried lime. Season with some sea salt and ground black pepper. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Half cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes.
Next, add in the chickpeas and fresh baby corn, cook for a further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Check seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Discard the dried lime. Place contents of the pan into a warmed serving dish, garnish with mint and coriander.
Food and Tools 
This looks and sounds amazing. I will definitely try it out! Thank you.
LikeLike
Thank you Sarah, I make this dish often and not just for Ramadan. The scattering of fresh coriander and mint before serving really complements the flavors of the dish. Let me know if you try this recipe and I am sure you will add your own special touches. 🙂
LikeLike
Gorgeous dish. I had some of the ingredients left from a dinner party but used dry ginger & chilli. Didn’t use corn but added some spinach I had. I would suggest cutting potatoes quite small, smaller than squash as it takes longer to cook. I also cut lime in half before putting in. My family were delighted with this dish. We are not vegetarians but I will make this again.
LikeLike
Thank you Pat for letting me know you made this dish and happy to hear the family approved. 🙂 Spinach sounds like a wonderful addition and certainly very healthy. I don’t mind if some of the butternut squash breaks up while the potatoes are cooking but thank you for your suggestion. The beauty of this dish is that you can customize it to suit your taste and preferences. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
LikeLike