Here is how my family in India prepared our everyday summer squash. It was utterly simple and utterly good. The squash itself was different, shaped liked a bowling pin and slightly curled up, but the taste and texture were similar. I like to use yellow squash and zucchini together, but you could use just one or the other. This dish may be served hot at most Indian meals, and cold as a salad.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4¿6

　　1 1/2 pounds zucchini and yellow squash, combined (2 medium zucchini and 2 medium yellow squash)

　　4 tablespoons olive or canola oil

　　A generous pinch of ground asafetida

　　1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

　　1 cup (6 ounces) finely chopped tomatoes

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　

Step 1

Trim the ends of the zucchini and squash and quarter them lengthways. Now cut them crossways into 1-inch segments.

　　

Step 2

Pour the oil into a frying pan and set on medium heat. When hot, put in the asafetida and cumin seeds. Stir once and then put in the tomatoes. Stir and cook the tomatoes for about 2 minutes or until they have softened and then add all the cut vegetables. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne, and 1/4 cup water. Stir to mix, and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to medium low, and cook, stirring once or twice, for 5–6 minutes or until vegetables are just done.

　　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.