Butternut 101: Morrocan Styled Stew/Pumpkin Chowder

Ingredients:
1 Smallish Butternut squash
1 Sweet potato
1 Large carrot
1 Large tomato (I'll use a beefsteak this weekend), diced and then crushed
1 Large onion, diced
2-4 Cloves garlic, minced
1 inch of fresh ginger root, peeled and slivered fine like match sticks
1 serrano chile
1 tsp. Cumin seeds
1 tsp. Ground coriander
2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Garam Masala
Handful of raisins
1 Can of Chicken or Veggie Stock
Cilantro for garnish
Oil

1 lb of bone in lamb (chops, shank, "stew meat")

Procedure:

1. Peel and cube sweet potato and squash.
2. Cut carrot into chunks on the bias.
3. Microwave 1&2 on high for 3 minutes or until soft, but not mushy.
4. In a large hot wok or stew pot, add a table spoon of oil and add cumin seed and toast the seeds in the oil over medium high heat, ensuring it doesn't burn.
5. Add all of the spices.
6. Add onion and cook until golden brown.
7. Add garlic, chile and ginger. Do not burn/overcook.
8. Remove onion/garlic/spice mixture and add lamb. Brown on all sides.
9. At this point you can continue cooking in the wok, or start to put everything in a pressure cooker.
10. Incorporate crushed tomato, chicken or veggie stock, onion/spice mixture, squash, sweet potato and carrots and raisins in wok or pressure cooker. Add 1/2 can of water, depending on how loose everything appears.
11. Add salt and fresh cracked pepper (If you've got a grinder)
12. Either cook on the stove on medium low heat for over an hour, or cook in pressure cooker for about 2 whistles. Let all steam release on its own before attempting to remove cover.
13. If super chunky, take a ladle or potato masher and mash the stew a bit so it's thick.
14. Ladle the stew over rice or over steamed couscous studded with raisins and almonds.
15. Garnish with cilantro.

When I make this as a chowder, I do not add the lamb and cook it down so it's super thick like pea soup, and I add extra fresh ginger to it.