Recipe - Wonderfully Spiced Butternut Squash Bharta

Butternut Squash Bharta made in the Instant Pot! This spiced butternut squash mash is wonderfully spiced with Indian spices and makes a great side! Goes well with any bread or even rice.

It’s sweet, delicious and I love eating it in every form. Whether it’s in soups, salads or this bharta (mash).If you are looking to make a different Thanksgiving dish this year, then give this Indian inspired mashed butternut squash a try.It is wonderfully flavored with Indian spices and goes well with any bread or rice/quinoa!

When I hear the word bharta, I usually associate it with baingan bharta, after all that’s the most popular form of bharta back home.In eastern UP, we also make aloo bharta which is similar to mashed potatoes but with spices and chilies.However, this time around I thought of making bharta with butternut squash and it actually turned out very good.

I was pleasantly surprised. It was super easy to make too in the pressure cooker.The first time around I tested this recipe, I added 1 cup of water and when I opened the pot, there was wayyy too much water there.Squash and tomatoes release a lot of water when pressure cooked. I ended up using 1/2 cup for this recipe but honestly I think 1/4 cup would work too.In the end, you do want the bharta to dry out a little. Not completely dry like a stir-fry but shouldn’t have a gravy either.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil 30 ml
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 large red onion chopped
6 large garlic cloves chopped
1.5 inch ginger chopped
1 green chili chopped, or more to taste
2 large tomatoes chopped
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar optional
2 lb diced butter nut squash around 5 cups diced suqash
1/3-1/2 cup water
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Method

* Press the saute button on the Instant Pot. When it displays hot, add the oil and then add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let them pop.

* Then add the onion, garlic, ginger and green chili. Saute 2 to 3 minutes.

* Add the chopped tomatoes, stir and deglaze the pot. There shouldn't be any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, smoked paprika, salt and sugar. Mix until combined.

* Add the butternut squash and water (1/3 to 1/2 cup, squash releases a lot of water when pressure cooked).

* Close the pot with its lid. Press the manual or pressure cook button and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and then do a quick release.

* Open the pot, press saute and then mash the cooked squash with a potato masher. You may also use a fork.

* Cover the pot with a glass lid and let it simmer on saute mode for 7 to 10 minutes until the excess water evaporates and bharta becomes little dry.

* Note: it splutters, so best to cover the pot with a glass lid when it's simmering on saute.

* The bharta will thicken more as it cools down. Add cilantro.Garnish with more cilantro and serve butternut squash bharta with roti, paratha or rice.