Cooking vegetables with tomatoes and olive oil, a sign of Turkish-Jewish cooking, is traditional Sukkot fare.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, five to 10 minutes.
Add the squash, tomatoes, water, parsley, sugar, salt, pepper, and, if using, lemon juice.
Cover and simmer over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be accompanied with yogurt if chicken stock was replaced with vegetable stock or water. Use olive oil and lemon juice if serving the vegetables cold.
Variations:
Yachni di Fijon Verde/Fasoulias (Green Beans with Tomatoes): Substitute 2 pounds trimmed green beans for the squash.
Espinaca Kotcha (Spinach with Tomatoes): Substitute 3 pounds fresh spinach for the squash.