Let me begin with extending my heart-felt THANKS to all my dear followers, friends and Family, for the overwhelming response I had received after my last Blog post , A Letter To My Mother, all your Love and Duas have touched my heart deeply, and are Most Appreciated. I’m deeply touched by all your kindness and my Prayer for you all would be that Allah/God reward you all tremendously for all your kind and uplifting words and duas AMEEN?
Allow me to share with you today, one of the 1st dishes My Mum had thought me to make. I had been in my late teens at that time, and an eager beaver to try and please my Mum and Dad, so whenever I was home early from Studies, I would ask Mum to show me how to make stuff in the kitchen. She Obliged and thought me all her Secrets in the Kitchen, and I hope to inspire those of you who have not had the opportunities to venture into the Kitchen…YET, OR Inspire even those of you who are Seasoned culinary experts, who probably haven’t tried these particular dishes before.
This particular recipe is exactly as my Mum had thought me, it is generally served as a Side Dish but today I have paired up the same recipe as a Salad option, to show how versatile a dish could be only if we brave enough to Give It A Try;). So the blog recipe section below entails the Lightly Spiced Butternut, Just like Mummys’, and also showing you how I teamed it up with a salad ingredients, to produce a fresh new take on how you could enjoy a Salad, either all on it’s Or with a Main Meal.
Happy Cooking (Just like Mummy)
Foodeva Marsay
Lightly Spiced Butternut Salad
AUTHOR: FOODEVA MARSAY (@foodeva_marsay)
Ingredients
1 Large Butternut squash (peeled and cubed into Chunks)
1 Medium Onion (finely sliced)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 Whole Red Dried Chillies
A Little Turmeric Powder (less than 1/4 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon Chilli Powder
Salt to season
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Method
~ Heat 3-4 Tablespoons of Oil in a Pot
~ Add in the mustard seeds and dried red chillies and once they begin to simmer, add and Sauté the sliced onions until lightly browned
~ Follow with the Butternut Cubes/Chunks, and add the Turmeric, Chilli Powder and Salt to taste, Mix through well and add 1/2 cup water, close pot with Lid and allow to gently cook through at medium/low stove setting.
~ After 10-15 minutes of cooking, OR when water is absorbed and Butternut is Softened yet still holding it’s cubed/chunk shape, add in the sugar, and gently shake the pot, do not over stir the Butternut, and switch off the stove.
~ At this stage your Lightly Spiced Butternut is ready to serve now as a SIDE DISH on it’s own.(see pic below),
FOR THE SALAD
~ Any Variety of Salad Leaves, I used Baby Leaf Frizze
~ 1/2 Red Pepper, Thinly sliced
~ Small Red Onion, sliced into thin rounds.
~ 1/4 Cup Cubed Feta Cheese, Or more to Your liking.
~ 1 Tablespoon each of Flaked Almonds and Pinenut Seeds, Dry Roast in pan and keep aside.
Salad Dressing
2 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Creamy Salad Dressing (today I used an Italian Salad dressing variety)
Salt and Garlic or Lemon Pepper seasoning, OR freshly cracked Black Pepper (to lightly season)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Sugar
▶️ Whisk all Salad Dressing Ingredients together and keep aside.
~ Layer All the salad Ingredients onto a Large Serving Platter,
~ Top with the cooked Butternut Chunks (Add the bits that may have become a little too soft during cooking, it just adds to the overall texture and enhances Visual appeal;).)
~ Drizzle the Salad Dressing all over the salad, saving some to serve on the side.
~ Scatter the dry roasted flaked almonds and pinenuts on top.
✨Note… Try using the red pepper and red Onion variety as it a little sweeter/mild, which complements the butternut perfectly✨
ENJOY
Foodeva Marsay
*Kindly Share my Recipes as posted, ©www.marriamsayed,com*
Very vibrant and beautiful looking salad. See what your dear mother left behind for you….her love,talent and happiness in the form of wonderful heirloom recipes. May Allah bless her.
Ameen and shukran dear?