winter

Ingredients: 

• 1 small delicata squash or any other winter squash (acorn or butternut would work well), seeds removed and chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup roasted and unsalted almonds
• 1 small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
• 1/4 teaspoon ajwain
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seed
• Water
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pan, add the cumin seeds and roast them for a minute or until they become fragrant. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat and add chopped squash and carrots. Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook 25 minutes, or until softened all the way through. Stir occasionally and add water as needed to keep from sticking to the pan.
3. In a food processor, combine the roasted almonds, ginger, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water. Blend until you have a coarse paste.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil or ghee, ¼ cup of water and all the spices (asafoetida, black pepper, ajwain, coriander, fennel, mustard seed and turmeric) to the mixture. Once the carrots and squash are softened, remove from the pan and add to the food processor.
5. Blend again until everything is well combined. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little water as needed.
6. Taste the chutney and adjust the salt and seasonings according to your preference. Keep in mind that Ayurveda recommends reducing salt for Vata balancing, so be moderate.
7. Heat a small amount of ghee in a small pan. Add the roasted cumin seeds to the ghee and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Pour this over the chutney and mix well.