This is
one of my favourite ‘bubble away on the stove and add bits to it’ recipes. Nigella’s
recipe was the inspiration and foundation of this very flexible recipe that I
continue to alter depending on what is hiding in the fridge. The lime which is
squeezed over just before serving, gives it a real lift and zing.
If
there is any pumpkin curry left over, it tastes even better the next day!
Please
don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients.
Just
put in the essential flavours, with the pumpkin, plus your choice of any extra
vegetables, then let it bubble away and stir occasionally. See the
options list for Nigella’s Seafood additions to this dish.
The
pumpkin in the photo is not very chunky - sorry – I got a bit distracted
reading / looking at Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbooks http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/stories/yotam-ottolenghi and the pumpkin wasn’t the only thing that
turned to mush…
Preparation 15 minutes
Cooking 20 –
25 minutes (which is just stirring and adding now and then)
Serves 4 – 6
depending on how many extra veggies / chickpeas you add.
Ingredients
1 kg
pumpkin – peeled, and cut into bite-size pieces. You can also use pre-roasted pieces – just
add in a bit later than you would the raw pieces as pre-cooked would need less
cooking time. - see Tips and Hints
2 tablespoons
Thai red curry paste.
(depends on your preference – start with 2
teaspoons if you prefer it quite mild, allow to cook and maybe add another
teaspoon a bit later - jot down how much you like to use)
400 ml
tin of coconut milk
1 litre
Chicken Stock (salt reduced) or you could use Vegetable stock (salt reduced) if
preferred
2
tablespoons Fish Sauce
3
tablespoons Brown Sugar or Caster sugar
3
lemongrass stalks, cut into thirds, and squash and bruise the sections with
knife handle. You can finely finely slice a little of the white base to add if
you like
6
kaffir lime leaves: 3 have
the middle vein removed and super finely shredded.
The
remaining 3 – crush a bit in your hand
and then add in whole leaves
½ Red
capsicum - diced
1 cup
peas (frozen is fine)
Handful
fresh beans – trimmed
Couple
of handfuls of red lentils – these will almost disappear and thicken the curry
1 ½
teaspoons turmeric
Red
chilli – finely sliced or shake of
chilli flakes (leave out if you prefer it milder)
Juice
and zest of 1 lime
Coriander
leaves or parsley leaves. And / or
Finely sliced shallots
PLUS Cooked Rice to
serve - see Tips and Hints
You can also add to the base curry mixture - any
of your preferred choices (all or some – whatever you like) such as these
suggestions:
½ cauliflower
–trimmed and cut into bite size bits
Broccoli
– bite size pieces
Chickpeas
– either 1 tin well rinsed and drained or similar amount of pre-cooked
3 little
shakes of Dashi powder (optional) – comes in sachets – sorry the amount is not
more specific
Baby
spinach leaves
Pakchoi
or bok choy - sliced or shredded
SEAFOOD
OPTIONS: (as Nigella does in her recipe
– but I don’t)
You could include peeled prawns and/or boned salmon
fillet cut into bite size pieces. Cook these first in the pan, remove, cook the
curry and then add the seafood back in at the end to warm through.
Method
Use a
large wide stove-top pan.
Skim
the thick part of the coconut milk from the tin and heat in the pan with the
curry paste.
When it
starts to sizzle,(don’t let it burn) mix well and add the remaining coconut
milk.
Stir in
the Sugar, Fish Sauce, Lemongrass, Kaffir lime leaves, Turmeric, Chilli, (Dashi if using)
Add the
stock and stir well. Bring to gentle boil.
Add the
raw pumpkin pieces and any other raw vegetables that need longer cooking time.
Stir
the red lentils through the curry.
Add the
red capsicum if using.
Reduce
heat to a steady simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.
If the
curry seems to be getting too thick add some more coconut milk or water or
stock.
If using pre-cooked pumpkin, add in after curry
and vegetables have cooked for about 10 mins
When
almost finished cooking – remove the lemongrass stalks and whole kaffir lime
leaves.
If using - add the chickpeas, green peas and
green beans
Stir
and then add the spinach, bok choy etc. and allow to wilt.
If using seafood - Gently stir
through the pre-cooked seafood to warm through.
Once
warmed, take off the heat and Stir in the lime zest and the squeezed lime
juice.
Taste
and if necessary add a little pepper or salt as needed.
Sprinkle
the chopped coriander / parsley / shallots over.
Serve
over rice with extra lime wedges if desired.
TIPS and HINTS
When cooking rice, cook more than needed. Freeze in small portions that will defrost in no time.
Remove from freezer and reheat to serve under this curry - easy!
and
Save and freeze (in small easy to defrost portions) some roasted pumpkin to use in this recipe - makes for a quick base for your curry.
Enjoy! Colleen
this was delicious and the lime leaves really make it so tasty. Must grown one in my garden i think
ReplyDeletewhat a useful recipe - really like the list of options so I can change it up every time - good flexible - cooked it twice - just popped back to your site as now it is in my favourites - great
ReplyDelete