If you love Rajma you will love this. Kidney beans with butternut squash. The game changer with this is the Basar spice! In particular for this the Al Noor brand as it compliments both the kidney beans and butternut squash.

I love Basar and collect a packet each time I see a new brand but end up going back to my favourites.

As covered in previous post, http://the essential tricks of the trade Basar is a Kashmiri/Pakistani spice mix used for curries. Its very much akin to curry powder with its own blend and mix of spices but it has the essential mustard seeds and oil incorporated. Al Noor is a commercial blend.

There are nuances, little bursts of aroma, flavour profiles which makes them all unique but even still, a few really stand out for me because of those amazing layers of fragrance. Second to that heat!

Al Noor basar is my second firm favourite. There is something about this one that tickles my fancy usually for meat as its potent and enhances the richness of meat with heat and a subtle underlying hint of mustard and spices. a hot spicy mix with far more depth and flavoursome –
It never fails to give a fabulous curry.

I used it today as both pumpkin and kidney beans have flat flavours. But they both add a creaminess to the dish. The kidney beans soak up spices. The brine lends that creaminess to the sauce and acts as a natural thickener, the pumpkin adds the sweetness. Together they give you a lush smooth mouthful.

This dish is elevated with a buttery bread.
Be that luchi, parathas or naan!

INGREDIENTS:

Half a butternut pumpkin diced into 1 inch cubes.
2 tsp of Al Noor basar powder
Half teaspoon cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Half teaspoon turmeric
14 oz can of red kidney beans with brine.
Half tsp cumin seeds
2 dried chillies
Pinch of hing
1 onion minced
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
Quarter cup oil
1 green chillies sliced.
1 tsp sugar

There is some salt in the brine so check at end of cooking for salt. I needed 1 tsp for my curry for our palate.

METHOD:

Heat oil in pan, add cumin seeds, 2 dried chillies and green chillies. Add pinch of hing and then your onion and ginger/garlic paste!

Cook this for a few minutes till a little golden and then add some water. Cook the water out and when the oil is splitting add the pumpkin. Stir, add salt and sugar and stir fry for few more minutes.

Now add the powder spices and cook for few more minutes stirring frequently.
Add quarter cup water, stir and let the water dry out again and the oil split.

Now add the kidney beans, all the brine, stir gently for about a minute, add a cup of water, reduce heat and simmer stirring occasionally till the pumpkin is cooked soft and you have a creamy thick sauce.

Serve with puri, Paratha or naan.
It tasted amazing.

TIPS:

Do not rinse or discard the brine.
Canned bean liquid, which is often quite starchy, is also welcome to help thicken the sauce and add creamy smoothness to your curry.

Step by step Pics:

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