I made this Butternut Squash, Potato and Paneer curry the other day, and somehow, it opened a quiet floodgate of memories.
There are some meals that live quietly in memory—not because they were grand or elaborate, but because they were loved. For me, rongalau aru aloor torkari aru rooti—pumpkin and potato curry with soft roti—is one of those meals. Ma used to make it often. It wasn’t anything fancy, but there was something about it: the sweetness of the pumpkin, the softness of the potato, the way the curry soaked just enough into a piece of roti. It was simple, warm, and comforting in a way that only home-cooked food can be.
I hadn’t planned on making it—I just used what I had. Instead of roti, I made a mixed vegetable paratha. The curry was made with butternut squash, not pumpkin, and I added a few cubes of paneer for good measure. On the side, a little bowl of spiced yogurt—cool, tangy, with just enough kick to balance the sweetness of the curry. Different ingredients, a slightly different dish—but as I sat down to eat, something familiar stirred.
The butternut squash brought the same gentle sweetness I remembered, the potatoes were soft and yielding, and the paneer—though a newer addition—added a quiet richness that worked its way into the dish without demanding too much attention.
The meal wasn’t exactly the same—but the feeling it brought, the quiet satisfaction of a familiar flavour, was very much there. And sometimes, I guess, that’s all you need.
Continue reading for the full, printable recipe for my butternut squash, potato and paneer curry.
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Recipe developer🍲,transplant survivor 2024💪🏼, green fingers🌿Award-winning blogger, ft @guardian @thetelegraph
Family favourite recipes🥙
Recipe card-
Spiced Apple and Banana Wholewheat Cake with Walnuts and Dates
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1½ C plain wholewheat flour ( I used atta)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ C chopped walnuts
- ½ C chopped dates
Wet ingredients-
- 3 medium sized bananas, mashed ( about 1 C)
- 1 medium apple, grated
- 2 large eggs
- ½ C oil
- ½ C dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping-
- ¼ C chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Pre heat the oven at 170 deg C and line an 8 inch square pan.
- In a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well. Keep aside.
- In another bowl, add all the wet ingredients and whisk ( I used a hand whisk, does not need any heavy duty whisking) together till just combined.
- Tip the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold in with a spatula till just combined. Do not over mix.
- Transfer the batter into the lined baking pan and smooth the top.
- Sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top.
- Place the baking pan in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The top will slightly spring back to the touch.
- Cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove from the pan, discard the baking paper and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut into squares and enjoy on its own as a dessert or tea-time snack.
- Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
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Until next time,
Sunita
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