Roasted Squash With Coconut, Chile and Garlic

By Tejal Rao

Published December 9, 2017

  • Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Amy Wilson.
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Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
4(373)
Comments
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Mix dry coconut, dry chile and garlic together, and you can easily brighten a batch of roasted winter squash. But this South Indian home-cooking technique is versatile and works with many kinds of vegetables too. Cut a head of cauliflower into florets, and roast that instead. Or shave brussels sprouts or red cabbage very thinly, and cook it in a skillet, adding the coconut-chile-garlic mixture when the vegetable is cooked. In the spring, try it with fresh peas or fava beans. In the summer, try corn kernels. The variations are endless.

Featured in: These Three Ingredients Will Brighten Any Vegetable

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings as a side

  • 1 ½ to 2 pounds mixed winter squash (such as delicata, acorn and butternut)

  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 to 3 dried chiles de árbol

  • ⅓ cup unsweetened dried, shredded coconut

  • 1 small garlic clove, peeled

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

  • ¼ teaspoon black mustard seeds (optional)

  • 1 sprig fresh curry leaves (optional)

  • Half a lemon

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings as a side)

20 grams carbs; 189 calories; 1 gram monosaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 13 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 515 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Line a sheet pan with parchment paper, and heat the oven to 400. Wash, slice and seed the squash, cutting it into approximately ½-inch-thick rings and wedges. Arrange on a sheet pan, drizzle with oil and season with salt. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, turning the pieces about halfway through, until the squash is tender and slightly browned in places.

  2. Step 2

    In the meantime, put the chiles in a bowl, and cover with very hot water so they soften for about 2 minutes, or longer. In a mortar and pestle or a small food processor, add the coconut and garlic. Grind until the garlic is completely broken down, then fish the chiles out of the water, and add them. Grind, until the chiles are in small but still-visible red pieces.

  3. Step 3

    In a sauté pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat. When it is hot, add mustard seeds and curry leaves, if using. When seeds start to pop, add coconut-chile-garlic mixture, and stir well. Cook for about 1 minute, or less if the paste is very dry and starts to brown quickly, then remove from heat. Toss the warm roasted squash into the coconut mixture, along with a generous squeeze of lemon. Taste a piece for salt and lemon, adjust as needed and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
373 user ratings
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Comments

Rachel

Can you tel us why you chose chiles de arbol? I am mystified by chiles and always worry I will choose one that is too spicy. Thanks!

Bill

Curry powder and curry leaves are very different things, one being a blend of ground spices and the other being fresh leaves. In my town I get curry leaves at a Korean grocery store that carries a lot of different ethnic foods. Bigger towns with larger Indian populations have Indian groceries which often carry fresh curry leaves.

Jess

It would be a very different dish. You would lose the benefit of the drying and browning of the squash, which usually intensifies the flavor and sweetness of a vegetable.

CK

Fresh curry leaves are available on Amazon and freeze well. Buy a bunch, toss in the freezer and you’ll always have them on hand.

Christine

Made this with red pepper flakes and brown mustard seeds. Fantastic.

MS

I thought this was going to be way too much work— too many steps and way too many dirty dishes (the food processor, the sheet pan, plus a skillet!) for one little vegetarian side dish that still required a protein and also a side of rice and - ideally- also a side of naan (homemade, in our case) but the end result — served with tofu “butter chicken” and leftover “bright rice” was transcendent.

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