The Zucchini Sabzi recipe is part of my summer dinner menu! Just a handful of Indian spices are all you need to make this flavorful Indian Zucchini-Yellow Squash Stir Fry(Curry). It is an easy one-pot Gluten-Free recipe that will surely become your family favorite.
I grew up eating Galka(Gujarati) also known as Turai in Hindi and Urdu back in India. Galka is also from the same family as Zucchini and Yellow Squash. Growing up, my mother always prepared Galka nu Shaak(Curry) with onion, tomatoes and Indian spices. The tender sweet Galka moderately spiced with Indian spices makes a great meal or a side dish to Daal-Chawal(Indian Rice and Lentil soup).
Zucchini and Yellow squash has a very similar texture and taste to Galka. So, for the love of Galka, every summer I get a bag of mixed Zucchini and Yellow Squash from Costco. I believe one bag contains 6 to 8 organic Zucchini and Yellow Squash for less than $7. The best deal on organic Zucchini and Yellow Squash(no, Costco isn't paying me to say this). From that one bag I make two meals of Zucchini-Yellow Squash Stir Fry and Curry for my family of five.
What's Different about This Zucchini Sabzi?
Though my recipe for Zucchini-Yellow squash Stir fry is Indian, Its ingredients are regionally influenced from the Western part of India. We Gujaratis like to use Jaggery in many of our dishes, unlike any other region of India. Therefore, my recipe contains a hint of mildly sweet jaggery and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Ingredients for Zucchini Sabzi
The main ingredients of this recipes are simple. Fresh Zucchini(Courgette), Yellow Squash, Onion, Tomatoes and Cilantro along with common South-Asian Masalas(spices) to cook this delicious Zucchini-Yellow Squash Stir Fry. All the spices listed in this recipe are easily available at any local South-Asian grocery store. I like to use Kashmiri chili powder in all of my Indian recipes. It is moderately spicy and gives a nice vibrant color to my Indian recipes.
Storing, Reheating and Freezing
I love making a big batch of this recipe and storing the leftover stir fry for lunches! I like to store my leftover curries in airtight containers. This Zucchini-Yellow Squash stir fry stays great for up to four days in a refrigerator.
You can simply microwave the stir fry for reheating or reheat on a stove top in a skillet with a tablespoon of water. This recipe stays great in the freezer for up to 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container. Thaw it in the refrigerator a night before and follow the previous reheating instructions.
I like using glass containers for leftover food storage. Pop the glass containers in the microwave for easy leftover reheating.
More Easy Plant Based Recipes:
I love easy one pot recipes for lunches and dinners. Check out my other easy recipes for your busy night Indian dinners.
- Aloo Palak (Spinach & Potatoes)
- Gujarati Kadhi (Yogurt-based Curry)
- Bharela Marcha (Stuffed Peppers)
- One-Pot Vegetable Spicy Rice
- Masala Potatoes-Rai wale Aloo
Zucchini Sabzi | Zucchini Squash Stir Fry
Ingredients
For Stir Fry
- 3 medium Zucchini
- 1 large Yellow Squash , optional
- 2 large Roma tomatoes
- ½ cup diced onions
- ¼ cup chopped Cilantro
- 3 tablespoons oil
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste , or grated ginger and garlic
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Jaggery , or sugar
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt to taste
For tempering
- 2-3 whole Kashmiri dry chili , optional
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seed
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seed
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seed
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and dice the squash and zucchini. Remove any hard seeds from the yellow squash. Dice tomatoes and onions.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or a wok on medium-high heat. Add dried chili, fenugreek, cumin, and mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add diced onions. Cook onion until golden.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, and cumin-coriander powder to the skillet. Stir well and cook until tomatoes break easily and oil starts to separate.
- Add Kashmiri chili powder to the skillet and stir well. Add diced squash and zucchini. Mix everything well and add water. Bring the heat down to low-medium. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Add jaggery and squeeze half lemon. Mix well and turn the heat off.
- Garnish the Sabzi with chopped cilantro and serve it with hot Roti or as a side for Daal-Chawal(Rice and Lentils soup).
Anonymous says
Tried it. It's great!