Tag: side dish
Roasted Kabocha Squash
Roasted Kabocha Squash
I recently had kabocha squash, aka Japanese pumpkin, for the first time at a Japanese restaurant in Denver. It tastes like a cross between a butternut squash and a potato that is very buttery in flavor. The green skin is edible, so it doesn’t need to be peeled. You can find them at any Asian market for relatively cheap. They also have a 4 month shelf life. There’s nothing really not to like about it. Roasting kabocha squash couldn’t be easier. You will need a sharp knife to cut through the squash. It’s actually pretty difficult. First, cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and wash the entire squash. Then cut 1” slices from each half. Line them on a baking sheet lined in foil. Brush each side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 10 minutes a side. Then brush the squash with a simple maple/soy/ginger sauce and toast gor 10 more minutes. The squash should be bubbly and caramelized. Garnish the squash with toasted sesame seeds.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 large kabocha squash seeded; cut into 1” slices
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sslt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Garnish
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Brush each side of the squash with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes a side.
- Mix together the maple syrup, soy sauce, and ginger.
- Brush the squash with the maple/soy/ginger sauce.
- Roast for 10 more minutes.
Spiced Grapes
Spiced Grapes
Spiced grapes might not sound too exciting, until you give it a try. While there are only 5 ingredients to this recipe, it has a complexity of flavors. Sweetness from the grapes, sourness from the lemon, earthiness of cilantro, a hint of spice from the chili powder, and salt to bring out all of the flavors. What you’ve really created is a bowl of candy, because that’s how you’re going to think of this after consuming. Spiced grapes pair well with any Bengali curry, acting as a palate cleanser.
Ingredients
- 2 cups green grapes sliced in half
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 3 tbsp cilantro chopped
- pinch Kashmiri chili powder
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Toss the grapes with the cilantro. Squeeze the lemon juice over.
- Add a pinch of chili powder and sea salt to the grapes.
Menestra de Porotos (Ecuadorian Bean Stew)
Menestra de Porotos (Ecuadorian Bean Stew)
Menestra de porotos is an Ecuadorian-style bean stew. The beans are always eaten with rice, a curtido, fried plantains, avocado, and a protein of your choice. Or you can skip the protein and make the meal vegan.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb dry white beans
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 tomato diced
- 1/2 tsp annatto powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 4 cups water
- 3 tbsp parsley chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the beans overnight in cold water.
- Heat up cooking oil in a pot over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, cumin, annatto powder, and chili powder. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add in the beans and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours.
- Stir in the parsley. Season with salt.