Some recipes don’t just taste good, they carry whole histories inside them. This sweet and sour Iraqi squash is one of those dishes. I learned it from my cousin Robina (technically my mom’s cousin, but in our family that basically means she’s everyone’s aunt). Her mother, my great aunt Eva, cooked this recipe wherever they lived, and making it with Robina now feels like holding onto a piece of that history.
The flavors are simple but so comforting: warm spices, tart lemon, a touch of sweetness, tender squash, and the option to fold in spiced beef the way Robina remembers from home. It’s the kind of recipe you usually learn by watching, not measuring, the type where everything is done by instinct and memory. But after cooking with her, filming, rewinding, and testing, I managed to capture real measurements so you can make it too.
Iraqi Sweet and Sour Squash Stew (With Optional Meat) Quara’ Hamuth
Equipment
- 2 large pots
Ingredients
For the Meat Pot (optional)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 2 lbs beef stew cut into 1 in cubes
- 1 16 oz can on tomato sauce
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp Consommé powder plus more to taste (instead of salt)
For the Squash Pot
- 3 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 2 medium butternut squash cut into 1 in cubes
- 1 16 oz can of tomato sauce
- 3 cups dried cranberries
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1-2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp Consommé powder plus more to taste (instead of salt)
Instructions
- Start the meat pot (optional). In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened and 7-8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and curry powder and cook until fragrant, another minute. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink 10-12 minutes.
- Pour in the can of tomato sauce, fill it with water and pour that in as well. Let it simmer for 5–10 minutes, then season with consommé powder, lemon juice, and a touch of sugar. Lower the heat and let it cook gently while you prepare the squash.
- Start here for the vegetarian recipe. In a second large pot, heat oil and sauté the onion until soft, about 7-8 minutes. Add cumin and curry powder again and stir until fragrant, another minute. Add the cubed butternut squash and toss to coat in the spices, cook until squash begins to soften, about 10-15 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, once again fill the can with water and pour it in the pot as well. Season with consommé powder, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir in the dried cranberries.
- Let the squash cook on medium-low until it begins to soften, about 20–25 minutes. Stir occasionally so the bottom doesn’t stick.
- Once the squash is tender, pour the meat mixture (if using) into the squash pot. Stir well to combine. Simmer everything together for another 10–15 minutes. Taste and adjust with more lemon, sugar or consommé if needed. The dish should be sweet, sour, and warmly spiced.
- For the vegetarian option, simply skip the beef pot entirely. The squash base stands beautifully on its own, sweet from the cranberries, tangy from the lemon, and hearty enough for a full meal. Serve over white basmati rice and enjoy!