As October and Hallowe'en comes around, there will be lots of Pumpkin in the shops. This easy vegan Thai curry makes the most of those pumpkins, and is deliciously nutritious with chick peas included.
For a traditional non-vegan version:
You can readily make a chicken version for traditional eaters by making twice the sauce ingredients. To do this, follow the same steps below - and double up the ingredients, cooking the vegan and the chicken version in separate pans side by side. You can exclude the chick peas in the chicken version.
Ingredients:
To make the Thai curry paste
1 small red or white onion, chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, grated or minced
2 red chillies
3 garlic cloves
2cm piece fresh ginger, chopped or grated finely
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp coconut milk
For the main curry ingredients, you will need:
2 tbsp oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2cm piece fresh ginger, grated
3 tbsp Thai curry paste
1kg pumpkin (or squash) flesh, diced
1 x 400g can chick peas
Handful of green beans or mange tout (optional)
350ml coconut milk
200ml veg stock
Zest of ½ lime
2 lemongrass stalks, bruised to enhance the flavour
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
Salt & pepper
Instructions:
To make the curry paste, put all the ingredients (except for the coconut milk) for the paste into a blender and blitz until they are all combined. Then add the 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and blitz again for a minute or two until it’s smooth. You can add a little water to thin it if it looks too thick.
Now make the curry.
Heat the oil in a large pan or wok. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the curry paste and pumpkin (or squash) and green beans/mange tout (if using). Sauté gently for another 4-5 minutes. Add the 350 ml coconut milk, stock, lime zest, lemongrass and chick peas.
Bring it all to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, stirring every now and then. Season with to taste.
Add the chopped coriander leaves, stir and serve with jasmine rice.
Adapted from a Hugh Fernley Whittingstall recipe.