Squash and Radish Curry

On the surface this may seem like an odd combination, but it is really tasty with the sweet/savory squash playing beautifully off the sharper radish.  It also looks stunning with its orange squash cubes and white radish rounds.  While you could make this with typical salad radishes, it really is best concocted with radish rounds cut from a large daikon (also known as mooli) root.  We’ve adapted this recipe from one presented in Yamuna Devi’s 1987 Lord Krishna's Cuisine (ISBN 978-0525245643) by making it vegan. 

¼ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root paste
1 teaspoon cumin seed
½ teaspoon black mustard seed
½ teaspoon fenugreek seed
8 curry leaves
¼ teaspoon asafoetida resin, crushed
¾ pounds daikon radish, peeled and cut into ½” slices
1½ pounds peeled and seeded squash, cut into 1” dice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
¼ cup water
½ cup peas
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup cilantro, washed and chopped

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking.  Add in the ginger paste, cumin, mustard and fenugreek seed.  Cover the pan and shake vigorously until the mustard seeds have quite popping.  Remove cover.  Add in the curry leaf and asafoetida and stir fry for 10 seconds.  Add in the radish slices and sauté until they begin to brown, about 5-10 minutes.  Add in the squash, cayenne, coriander, and water.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until the squash is fork tender, about 20-30 minutes.  A few minutes before the squash is cooked, add in the fresh peas, lemon juice, salt, and cilantro.  Remove from heat, toss, and serve. 

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