Acorn Squash Pulao is inspired from the fall season during which we see farmer’s market and Whole Foods greet you with different type of squashes right at the entrance of the shops. The orange, yellow and green colored squashes in all different shapes and sizes, all loaded with the great amount of beta carotene and Vitamin A did present a challenge in cleaning and cutting! But the challenge was worth it, as the house smelled of fall fragrance, as the acorn squash with ginger, mint leaves and cinnamon. I modified the recipe of Kombucha Pilaf from Bon Appetit and modified to the ingredients readily available with me. Sometimes great things are discovered when one is willing to experiment and use a little creativity, listening to your own heart’s inner voice.
On reading more about the various types of squashes, I found that the Kombucha Squash is the sweetest squash you can find and it is similar to Butter Cup Squash. These squashes can be easily used as replacement for sweet potatoes, so that is great thing for anyone wishing to avoid root vegetable, and yet not loose much of the taste of sweet potatoes.
In giving the Acorn Squash Pulao a little Indian touch, decided it to flavor with cinnamon, green chillies, and mint leaves and topped it with roasted and salted pistachios! Its a quick one pot meal that can be done in about 30 minutes and its a great mix of western and indian cuisine. When your kid asks if she can take it to school next day, means you have hit a home run!
Using very little oil, and filled with nutrients its a great addition to the daily cookbook during the fall- winter weather! Enjoy this journey with Gourd Almighty Family and Acorn Squash!!
Recipes makes Acorn Squash Pulao for 2-3 people
Time to Cook – 25 min
Prep Time : 5-7 min
Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled and shredded Acorn Squash
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 2 thai hot green chillies, sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/3 cup sliced broccoli stem pieces (optional)
- 1/2 tbsp sliced ginger ( heaped spoon)
- 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt to taste
- 2 cups of water to cook rice.
- 12-15 roasted and salted pistachio for garnish
Method
- Wash the rice thrice in lots of water and soak in four cups of water for 20 minutes.
- Halve the acorn squash and peel as much as you can and then shred.
- In a deep pan, put the oil to heat, and add cinnamon stick. Once the cinnamon stick doubles and flattens up, add green chillies and ginger and saute for two minutes.
- Add broccoli stem and saute for 2 more minutes.
- Add shredded squash, salt and mint leaves and saute for a minute.
- Drain all the water from rice and add to the squash and saute for a minute.
- Add two cups of water, cover and cook on low flame for 15-20 minutes, till the all water is absorbed and rice grain is well cooked.
- Serve hot and garnish it with roasted and salted pistachio for nutty flavor and itts great to be enjoyed just by itself.
Tips
Using a pre cut version of squash is much quicker, but in that case will have to use the cubes and not the shredded version. I shredded with some skin remaining, and it tasted fine. And as they say, skins of the vegetables hold the most nutrients!
The spice level in this pulao is at a minimum, so as to retain the western feel of the recipe. You might want to double it up, if you want to give it a more Indian touch.
Instinct Factor
Keep relying on your instincts to create a recipe that your heart desirers! Using the skin as well as adding flavor that I thought would go well, turned out right in the end.
Feel Factor
A warm fragrant pulao that is a mix of western and indian cuisine, with the sweetness from squash and cinnamon and spice from the green chillies and ginger, and cooling flavor from mint leaves, all added a variety of flavors to this one pot quick meal recipe of Acorn Squash Pulao. This success has definitely made me want to try more recipes with squash, as they surely are loaded with lots of good nutrients that I find it difficult to get my family to eat, specially Vitamin A, so a great recipe find for sure and not to mention, the fact that I can get Vitamin A , without having to eat roots!!
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