In India, dried beans and peas may be combined with almost any vegetable. Here, I use either pumpkin or butternut squash. It gives a mellow sweetness to the dish. In India, this would be eaten with whole-wheat flatbreads, yogurt relishes, salads, and pickles. For a Western meal, the beans may be served with a sliced baguette as a first course or with roast pork or roast lamb.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　2 cups (about 12 ounces) dried black-eyed peas

　　3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

　　1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

　　1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

　　1 medium onion, chopped

　　3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

　　1/2 teaspoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

　　1 fresh hot green chili, chopped

　　4 tablespoons tomato puree

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　1/8–1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　3/4 pound (2 1/2 cups) peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces

　　

Step 1

Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in water that covers them well. Drain.

　　

Step 2

Pour the oil into a heavy, largish pan and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cumin and fennel seeds. Let them sizzle for 10 seconds and then add the onions. Stir and fry until the onion pieces turn brown at the edges. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili. Stir for a minute. Add the tomato puree. Stir for a minute. Now put in the peas, salt, cayenne, squash, and 4 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover partially, turn heat to low, and cook for about 1 hour or until peas are tender and the water is absorbed.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.