Gem squash are super easy to cook and their texture and mild taste makes them easy to pair with practically anything. After cooking, the shell hardens like a bowl and the insides become soft which can be eaten on its own with a little seasoning or with a crunchy and spicy filling like this spicy chunky salsa to give the flavours and textures a twist.
Gem squash with chunky salsa
By Ashima Goyal Siraj
Preparation time: |Cooking Time: |Serves: 2
3 Gem Squashes
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
For the chunky salsa
1 onion
1 tomato
3 cloves of garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp paprika powder
Salt to taste
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
- Preheat oven to 180ºC.
- Cut the gem squash in half and scoop out all the seeds.
- In a small bowl mix together olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Put the squashes flesh side up on a baking try and bake for about 30 mins till the squash flesh is soft.
- Remove from oven.
- While the squash are baking, prepare the salsa.
- Finely chop onion, tomato and garlic. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the chunky salsa. Mix well and adjust for seasoning.
- Fill each of the baked gem squash bowls with a little of salsa and garnish with some fresh coriander leaves.
- The beauty of gem squash is that they can be served as is. The outside shell is hard enough to serve as a bowl. Scoop out the flesh along with salsa for a tasty and healthy meal.
Drizzle and brush the insides of the gem squash with the olive oil dressing.
There are endless possibilities on what you can fill the gem squash with. For some ideas of filling combinations for Gem squash check out this site of a farm in New Zealand – Gem Squash NZ
Health Benefits of Gem Squash: Gem squash are a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin B & C, antioxidants, iron and a source of dietary fibre, folate, potassium and niacin. It builds immunity and helps in prevention of many illnesses like high blood pressure, Type II diabetes, lung diseases.
Source: Benefits of eating Gem Squash and Cohen’s – Try some Gem Squash
Leave a Reply