Winter Squash Chana Masala

The snow continues to fall and the evenings are quite chilly around these parts. My favorite way to pass the time in the evenings is to stir a big pot of stew, sip on some wine and listen to one of my favorite podcasts- Dear Sugar. If you all aren't familiar with Dear Sugar I encourage you to check out the podcast. Cheryl Strayed (the author of Wild and my absolute favorite, Tiny Beautiful Things) hosts the show with Steve Almond. The podcast is heartfelt, honest and I absolutely adore it. Cheryl and Steve dish out some great advice and answer some really tough questions from letter writers. Honestly, they are so damn good that whenever I find myself in a tough situation or I need a little direction I ask myself WWSD? AKA what would Sugar do? Sheryl and Steve never disappoint and I look forward to every episode. It's truly been a highlight to my winter. Anyhow, between tasty stew, a great podcast and a cozy fire in the woodstove winter has been treating us pretty darn well. Sharing this chana masala with some good friends who swung in for dinner was icing on the cake. Everyone agreed this dish is next level and perfect for a snowy night at the farm. I hope you all give it a try soon. Cheers from Tumbleweed Farm

Winter Squash Chana Masala

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 small rutabga, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  • 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1-2 Tablespoons garam masala (taste and adjust as you go)
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon natural cane sugar
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 cup full fat coconut milk
  • fresh cilantro for serving

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
  2. Toss the cubed butternut squash and rutabaga with 1 Tablespoon of the coconut oil (if the oil is in solid form warm it on the stovetop for a minute or two until it's liquid) Place the veggies on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven until tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 20 minutes. Toss halfway through cooking.
  3. Heat the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large pot. Add the onion and sauté until it softens up a bit and becomes fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, garam masala, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper and continue to cook for 1 minute longer.
  4. Stir in the roasted veggies, tomato paste, tomatoes, chickpeas and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste test the stew and adjust seasonings as needed.
  5. Divide between bowls and top each bowl with a little cilantro. Enjoy with a glass of red wine and good company.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary *Taste test as you go

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