Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry

Name: Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 -8
Ingredients: Oil-1 tbs.; Onion (chopped-2 medium); Garlic (chopped - 3-4 cloves); Cilantro (chopped (stalks and leaves separated, stalks reserved)- 1 bunch); Butternut Squash (diced- 1 medium); Chickpeas- 1 can; Patak's Korma Paste or any other curry paste (not cooking sauce- 2 tbsp.); Coconut Milk- 1 can; Water- 1 cup; Spinach- 100 gr; Frozen Peas- 1/2 cup; Desiccated unsweetened coconut (optional- 2 tbsp.); Salt- to taste; Basmati Rice- 2 cups

This chickpea and butternut squash curry will become your family’s staple if you give it a try. I am certain you will love it as much as we do!

Brad and I have considered Indian food to be our comfort food for ages. Although we are both of European descent, somehow the taste of warm and slightly spicy curries make us feel at home.

It’s no wonder we eat them regularly, especially since we moved to Britain where it’s basically a national dish. There are not too many things that are better than a good curry coupled with crispy poppadoms dipped in mango chutney and lime chilli pickle!

I get so many requests to post a curry recipe which tells me you guys love Indian food too! I am not claiming to be an expert so what I am sharing today is something I cook often and is loved by everyone in my family. It’s a vegetarian curry and so delicious you won’t miss meat!

This particular curry is called Korma which is a blend of aromatic spices like ginger and coriander and yogurt. If you are not familiar with Indian food it’s an excellent one to start with because of its creamy consistency and mild taste, even kids will love it.

Traditionally, korma is cooked with meat but this version is meat free.

How do I make Indian food at home?

Many people are very hesitant to venture out in the world of Indian cuisine. Rightly so, as the ingredient list is long enough to intimidate the most experienced cook!

Cooking is fun for me and the more complicated the recipe the better, so I usually have all the right spices on hand.

However when we moved to England almost 3 years ago I had to get rid of my very large collection of spices and still haven’t replaced all of them.

Since then I’ve discovered Patak’s Curry Pastes which I use almost exclusively for my curries. The taste is excellent and the variety is immense.

Why worry about making it from scratch when someone has already put in all the hard work for you!

If you are brave enough to experiment with spices on your own, this Simplified Cauliflower and Potato Curry Aloo Gobi is for you!

How do I make Chickpea and Butternut Squash Curry

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large and deep pan and cook chopped onions, garlic and cilantro stalks over low heat for 10 minutes until soft and slightly coloured.

2. Meanwhile dice your butternut squash to match the size of chickpeas. I leave the skin on as I discovered it cooks very nicely and eliminates a lot of unnecessary work.

When the onions are tender add the curry paste and cook for a minute or so stirring the whole time, then add your squash, chickpeas, coconut milk, desiccated coconut, water and a pinch of salt.

Bring it to a boil by turning the heat up, then turn the heat down to a low-medium and simmer it covered for 35-40 minutes.

Stir it occasionally to prevent from burning and add a few splashes of water if it gets too dry.

3. Start on the rice. Cook your rice in the rice cooker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Test the butternut squash, it should be fork tender by this point but not falling apart. Your curry should be thick so if it’s too runny, uncover and let the liquid cook down for a few more minutes.

When you are satisfied with the consistency of the curry stir in peas, spinach and cilantro leaves, cover with a lid and take off the heat.

5. Serve with steaming hot basmati rice. We love having naan bread or chapatis and various Indian pickles and chutney with our curries. My children go crazy for crunchy poppadoms!

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