A light, nourishing dish of butternut or hokkaido squash braised together with mushrooms and vegetables. The combination of sweetish squash, aromatic mushrooms and warming spices creates a harmonious flavor.
- Category
- main course
- Portion
- 200 g
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Nature (TCM)
- warming
TCM: Squash and spices gently warm and support the digestive fire.
Ingredients
- Butternut or hokkaido squash – 1.2 kg (after cleaning)
- Dried forest mushrooms – 50 g
- Onions – 250 g (2)
- Garlic – 15 g (3 cloves)
- Carrots – 300 g
- Fennel bulb – 250 g
- Olive or rapeseed oil – 70 ml
- Tomato paste – 200 g (optional)
- Red lentils – 150 g
- Water or vegetable stock – 700 ml
- Lemon juice – 30 ml
- Salt – 15 g (2½ tsp)
Spices
- Smoked paprika – 5 g (1 tsp)
- Ground coriander – 3 g (½ tsp)
- Crushed fennel seeds – 1 g (¼ tsp)
- Black pepper – 0.5 g (½ tsp)
To finish
- Fresh parsley leaves – 20 g (chopped)
- Pumpkin seed oil – 20 ml (for drizzling)
Method
Base
- Sauté the finely chopped onion, garlic and fennel in oil until soft and translucent.
Vegetables and mushrooms
- Add the diced carrots and squash. Sauté for 5–6 minutes to seal the vegetables.
Spices
- Add all the spices, stir and sauté briefly until fragrant.
Simmering
- Add the tomato paste (if using), the red lentils and the stock, stir, cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the squash is tender, the lentils are cooked and the sauce is thick.
Seasoning
- Finally, season with salt and lemon juice. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water.
Finishing
- Stir in the fresh parsley and drizzle with pumpkin seed oil when serving.
Serving
Serve warm as a main course (200 g) or as a side to rice, bulgur or whole-grain bread.
Key ingredients
- Pumpkin
- Sweet, gentle and easy to digest; beta-carotene and potassium.
- Red lentils
- Quickly digestible protein; cooks down to a creamy texture.
- Carrot
- Beta-carotene (vitamin A) for skin and eyesight, fibre, natural sweetness.
- Onion
- Prebiotic fibre for the gut flora, anti-inflammatory flavonoids.
- Garlic
- Antibacterial and antiviral; supports immunity and the circulatory system.
- Tomatoes (peeled / passata)
- Lycopene (an antioxidant), the umami base of sauces.
- Red bell pepper
- High in vitamin C and antioxidants; sweet once roasted.
- Butter
- Milk fat; carries flavour and rounds things off.
Why it’s good for the body
- Squash is rich in beta-carotene and antioxidants.
- Forest mushrooms are a source of plant protein and depth of flavor.
- Fennel and spices support digestion and warm the body.
- Red lentils provide plant protein.
Traditional and functional notes on the ingredients — not medical claims.
Notes
- Both the tomato paste and the red lentils are optional – the sauté works without them too.
- Yield: approx. 2 kg of finished sauté (10 servings of 200 g).