Yesterday was leftovers-for-lunch day, and I wanted to make something that I have been thinking about for a while now. Squash poached in tea. I guess the inspiration came a few months back when I was reading the book "Curry", by Lizzie Collingham. The book travels through a few of the well-known dishes of India, describing the historical context in which they developed. One of the recipes I read described pumpkin poached in tamarind. That just sounded so fun to me, not only because of the contrast of sweet and tangy, but also because of the colors of dark maroon and orange. Anyway, it sparked a desire in me to poach Winter squash in various liquids, rather than roasting it, which has become a little boring for me.
Yesterday, I found some leftover cubed butternut squash from an asopao recipe my sister had made the day before. I simply brought about two inches of water to a boil, added a jasmine teabag and a lemon-ginger teabag, and then the cubed squash. I covered the pot and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. The result was great. The squash cooked quickly and easily, and its sweet flavor was further pronounced by being infused with the tea. We ate it with some Lebanese bread and yogurt, which was a great combination, and one that we will repeat. I thought that I would write about it, because I imagine there are a lot of people who stare at their squash, and then stare at the oven, and do not want to go through the hassle of roasting.
Next step is the pumpkin poached in tamarind!