Fall has finally arrived and so has all the comfort-food recipes along with our favorite Lentil Butternut Squash Curry. We love the rustic feel of this recipe and usually make in large quantity to share with loved ones. It’s what we have on Friday nights or even a weekend brunch with warmly toasted bread or steamed quinoa.
Lentil Butternut Squash Curry Ingredients:
2 Cups of Lentils 2 Cups Butternut Squash – peeled and chopped in bite-size pieces* 1 large Onion – thinly chopped 1 inch Fresh Ginger – thinly chopped 2 Cloves Garlic – crushed 1 Can Coconut Milk 2 Cups Vegetable Stock or Use Plain Water 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Spices:
2-3 Bay Leaf 3-4 Cloves 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder 1 Tsp Red Chili Powder – you can add less or more as per taste 1 Tsp Curry Powder – you can add less or more as per taste Salt as per taste
Also, this is an extremely popular recipe among our friends and family, which means, it gets made a lot!! At times, I literally make pre-proportioned bags of this Lentil and Butternut Squash Curry recipe ingredient and store in fridge (butternut squash) / pantry (spices + lentil) for an easy prep.
Lentil Butternut Squash Curry Process
Rinse the lentils under cold water and keep them aside in a bowl. Now heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves and saute over low heat. Now add onions, ginger, garlic and saute for a minute or till onions are slightly pink in color. Add the soaked lentils and saute everything together. Now, add the spices, saute and cover cook for 10 minutes over low heat (stir every 2 minutes). Once lentils are little mush, add the stock, butternut squash, and saute everything evenly. Let this cook for another 30 minutes or till lentils are completely cooked and creamy. Finally, add coconut milk and cook for a further 15 minutes (over medium flames). Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle freshly chopped cilantro and some pumpkin seeds. Serve with choice of sides like bread/roti/rice or any grain of choice.
However, the packaging was always lacking that freshness we get from store-bought packaged ingredients.
But I soon found an extremely useful product at Walmart that helps me ‘Vaccum Seal’ not just these ingredients but many more – WoooHoooo!!! FoodSaver® FM5200 Vacuum Sealing System FoodSaver® 11″ x 16′ Vacuum Seal Roll, 2 Pack
They also have a Rollback offer at Walmart:
FoodSaver® FM5200 Vacuum Sealing System – $142.99 (original price $169) – from 9/15 – 12/22, online only
FoodSaver® 11″ x 16′ Vacuum Seal Roll, 2 Pack – $15.99 (original price $17.98) – from 9/15 – 12/22, online only
( FoodSaver® in the home section at Walmart, in the food storage aisle )
We bought the system home and this time, I was even more excited to make the Lentil and Butternut Squash Curry Recipe as now I can PROPERLY Vaccum Seal the ingredients! Which means no-wastage, easy to store and the ingredients will retain all the flavors.
Before, we proceed with our delicious recipe, here are some points on Why we chose FoodSaver® :
FoodSaver® is THE Solution and the Number# 1 Vacuum Sealing solution in the US Save Food – FoodSaver® keeps food fresh up to 5x longer* and helps prevent freezer burn (*compared to ordinary storage methods) Save Time – Make entertaining a breeze. Marinate in minutes instead of hours. Cook ahead – batch cooking and meal planning. FoodSaver® – As seen on TV
The FoodSaver® FM5200 system is extremely easy to use. Apart from the easy literature manual (1 page + Video link details), they also have instructions posted on the system itself.
Here’s ‘ How I Started the System ‘
Removed the FoodSaver® FM5200 Vacuum Sealing System from the packaging. Removed the FoodSaver® 11″ x 16′ Vacuum Seal Roll, 2 Pack from the packaging.
Then you open the ‘Tray at the bottom of the FoodSaver® FM5200 system and insert the ‘Roll’. Slightly pull the roll to the ‘Marked White Lines’ (picture on top right) and lock it by pulling the seal lever upwards. (That creates the seal in the bag). Then slide the bag out using your hand and use the ‘Seal and Cut Bag Here’ slider to cut the bag (picture bottom right).
Now, once your bag is ‘sealed and ready to use’, add the ingredients of choice.
Insert in the ‘Vaccum Seal Bar’ and push the lever on both sides to start the ‘Sealing Process’. This seals the bag and removes any vaccum/air in the package. Once the bag is sealed, the system drops the package down.
Here you can see, I sealed the lentil+spice mix in one bag.
And then I sealed the butternut squash in the other bag.
Then I kept the sealed butternut squash in the freezer for later use and the sealed lentil+spice bag in the pantry. So, next time, all I have to do is take out these pre-portioned vacuum-sealed bags and get the recipe done in even lesser time. Now, that’s a total Win-Win situation for me as I not only get pre-packaged Lentil and Butternut Squash Curry ingredients at home but also the seal retains all the flavors+freshness. So the food taste fresh whenever I make it next. Also, no wastage. ——————– If you are still wondering about this, then here are some other comparison to help:
FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealer FM5330 (#1 Benefit): Keep food fresh in less time with less steps* Compared to FoodSaver V4440 Models Make bags in half the steps with the easy to use Express Bag Maker Compared to FoodSaver V4440 Models Ensure an air-tight seal and less bag waste using the Easy View Vacuum Window *Compared to FoodSaver V4440 Models Quick sealing with Vacuum and Seal Bar Our bag difference Multi-layer, BPA-free vacuum-seal bags are flexible enough to hug food and seal effectively without gaps They are best for long-term freezer storage, blocking out air and helping to prevent freezer burn FoodSaver® System System includes vacuum seal bags and rolls, vacuum zipper bags and containers designed to work together with vacuum sealers for optimal performance.
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I would definitely say that : FoodSaver® is an investment in terms of saving time and less waste ! So this holiday season, think of FoodSaver® as a Must-Have for your home or even Holiday Gifts to loved ones. Tried Our Recipe – AWESOME!!! Now Quickly SNAP A PICTURE & TAG : #easycookingwithmolly + @easycookingwithmolly on Instagram –> Connect with Me Here: Facebook / Pinterest
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This recipe is vegan, glutenfree and smooth. This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SealToSavor #CollectiveBias
