Cardamom-Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

For the butternut squash

• 1
  
  large butternut squash
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons
  
  cardamom pods
  
• 1 teaspoon
  
  allspice
  
• 
  
  salt and pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons
  
  olive oil
  

For the yogurt drizzle

• 1/2 cup
  
  Greek yogurt
  
• 1/2
  
  cup tahini
  
• 1/4 cup
  
  freshly squeezed lime juice
  
• 1
  
  jalapeno, minced (or a hotter pepper, if you like)
  
• 2/3
  
  cup chopped cilantro leaves
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Trim the top and bottom off the butternut squash. Set the squash on its bottom and slice it down lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard them.
3. Peel the butternut squash and dice it into large chunks. I left mine quite large, maybe 2 inches per side so that they would retain some shape when roasted. Arrange the squash in a single layer in a roasting pan.
4. To prepare the spice mixture, pound the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle until the pods crack open. Pour out the pods onto a cutting board or plate and separate the pods from the seeds inside. (Granted, this process seems like it will be very time consuming, but it only took a few minutes and the resulting fresh cardamom is worth the effort.) Return the seeds to the mortar and pound again until the seeds are finely ground.
5. Empty the ground seeds into a small bowl. Add the allspice, salt, and pepper and whisk together. Add the olive oil and whisk again. Pour the spice mixture over the squash and mix it with your hands or a wooden spoon so that it thoroughly coats the squash pieces. Roast until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife, but not mushy. The roasting time will depend on the size of the squash pieces, but count on somewhere between 20 and 40 minutes.
6. While the squash is roasting, prepare the yogurt sauce. Whisk the yogurt and tahini together with the lime juice. Add the cilantro and jalapeno and mix again. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. The dressing will be quite strong — tart from the limes. But resist the urge to temper that flavor because it will be perfect when drizzled over the squash.
7. When the squash has finished roasting, arrange it onto a serving platter or into a large bowl, taking care to keep the pieces intact. The squash can be served hot or at room temperature. Just before serving, drizzle the yogurt sauce over the top or serve it in a small pitcher on the side.