Traditionally, the squash is cooked in the sauce until it is fork-tender.
Ingredients:
1 cup of diced onion
2 tablespoons of salt & pepper
1/4 cup of vegetable oil + 1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of garlic & ginger paste
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
3 tablespoons of berbere
A sprig of fresh rosemary & thyme each
1 cup of diced cherry or plum tomatoes
1 small sized squash peeled and diced
2 – 3 cups of water
Optional: Tikur qimmem, Abish, Korerima, Mekelesha Qibbeh
Method:
Season the diced squash with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes in a 180C preheated oven.
To a medium-sized pot, add diced onions, salt & oil and cook until onions are browned. Add the garlic & ginger paste, followed by the tomato paste, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the berbere, all or any of the optional spices except mekelesha, and cook for 20 minutes stirring frequently. Add a splash of water to prevent sticking and allow the flavour to develop. Add the fresh thyme & rosemary leaves, the diced or cherry tomatoes, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Add mekelesha, a tablespoon of qibbeh, the roasted squash, and toss gently until all the pieces are covered in the sauce. Lower the heat and finish cooking the squash until it is fork-tender without adding any water. This will allow the flavours to penetrate the squash. Stir frequently and gently to avoid burning.
Serve with injera
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