Roasted Pumpkin Curry

Roasted pumpkin (or whatever winter squash is available to you, e.g. butternut acorn, kabocha, etc.) in an aromatic spice-infused tomato-based curry sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 mid-size pumpkin (or whatever type of winter squash)
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 mid-sized tomatoes
• 1 piece ginger, finely chopped (take a stub that's about half the size of your thumb)
• Tomato paste (in a can / tube)
• Handful of coarsely chopped cilantro (separate the stemmy part from the leafy part in two separate bowls)
• 1/2 can / small pack of Coconut milk
  
• Zest of a half a lime / lemon
  

AROMATICS:

• 2-3 large dried red chilies (if you have them)
  
• Onion seeds (kalonji)
  
• 1 large bay leaf
  
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper (large if possible)
• 3/4 tsp cumin powder
• 3/4 tsp coriander powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 pinch clove powder
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 pinch nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika powder
• NOTE: Of course,  you can use the whole spice by first dry roasting in a pan, and then throwing it into a spice blender, but powders save a bit of time.
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (if you like it spicier)

OTHER:

• Butter
• Cooking oil
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Recipe

PUMPKIN (ideally do beforehand so that you have only the ready cubes to deal with) - it will store well for about a day or two in the fridge:

1. Peel and de-seed the pumpkin
2. Cut it into 1 inch (2cm) cubes

THE CURRY SAUCE:

1. Heat some light olive oil or ideally sunflower oil in a medium pan.
2. Once the oil is hot, throw in the dried chilies and the onion seeds and sauté for a couple minutes.
3. Throw in your chopped onions, ginger, and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent.
4. Throw in a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar at the end, and finish sautéing.
5. Add in the tomatoes and salt (1/2 tsp for now, and you can always add later if you need) and mix with the ingredients of the pan.
6. Let the tomatoes reduce and get more concentrated in their flavor.
7. Add the tomato paste and incorporate well.
8. Add more salt if you need.
9. Add the aromatics and incorporate well.
10. Add in the stemmy part of the cilantro
11. Add 1 tbsp butter and let the tomatoes reduce once again, incorporating the aromatics into the mixture.
12. Add the pumpkin pieces and fold well into the tomato mixture, and be sure to coat all the pumpkin pieces well with the sauce.
13. Add 1/2 can of coconut milk and stir in well, allowing to come to a boil.
    

SIDES:

• Pickled red onions
  
  • Slice an onion in half from to to bottom
    
  • Peel each half and slice finely into semi circles
    
  • Add 2 pinches of salt
    
  • Squeeze the juice of 1/4 lime
    
  • Add 1 tbsp vinegar
    
  • Mix well and let it sit for 15 min to pickle
    
• Cilantro
  
  • Wash and chop cilantro leaves
    
  • Serve in a water bath to keep fresh