Quick Butternut Squash Curry Over Lentils

I don’t intend to mislead when I use the term quick in a recipe. It’s become an all encompassing term for a recipe that isn’t entirely authentic. It’s says – warning, while tasty and similar in flavor, what you are about to make is not the real deal.

My kind of quick still requires that you peel and cube the butternut squash, but it is well worth the effort. It will also be on the table in about 30 minutes, if you error on the side of speedy with your peeling and chopping. 

I’ve made this dish twice now, and the first version left a little to be desired; namely protein. So the second time around I added lentils. I thought I’d stir them in the curry and serve it over rice, but then I decided to chuck the rice all together and serve the curry over the lentils. 

This quick dish works well with any kind of winter squash. It’s the perfect reason to pull them out of storage in the garage or basement, and put them to use.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 ½ tsp curry powder

1 can coconut milk

¼ cup water, optional

2 Kaffir lime leaves

1 tsp salt, or to taste

3 cups cooked lentils

In a deep skillet, or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic. Cook about 3 minutes. Add the butternut squash and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir to coat the vegetables.

Next, add the coconut milk. Add ¼ cup water if desired. (This makes just the right consistency for me, but you can add more or less.) Bring the milk just almost to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir in the Kaffir lime leaves. Simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the squash is tender. 

Add salt to taste and discard the lime leaves. Spoon over lentils and serve. Makes about 4 servings. 

If your still hungry for winter squash curry, check out Pumpkin and Shrimp Curry from A Nutritionist Eats.