Recipe Instructions:
Ingredients
2 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil - See note 1 below
1 yellow onion - diced
3 garlic cloves - minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds - See note 2 below
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
pinch black pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder - See note 3 below
800 g butternut squash - diced into ½ inch cubes
400 g can chickpeas - 15 oz, drained
400 g can crushed tomatoes - 15 oz
400 ml full-fat coconut milk
230 ml water
1 teaspoon salt
300 g baby spinach
For serving
Cilantro leaves
Green onions
Fresh chili
Chopped cashews
Basmati rice - or brown rice, or white rice
Naan bread
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large pan or a pot over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them toast for a few seconds until they start to release their aroma. Add the chopped onions, minced garlic cloves, and a pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 minutes until they are lightly golden.
Add all the spices: the grated ginger, garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, a pinch of black pepper, and chili powder, and cook until fragrant for around 30 seconds.
Add the chopped butternut squash and chickpeas and toast for a couple of minutes. Then add the salt, tomatoes, full-fat coconut milk, and a cup of water.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to keep it gently simmering, and cook for around 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender (use a fork to check).
Turn off the heat and blend roughly half of the curry with an immersion blender. Or transfer the mixture to a standard blender, blend until smooth, and return it to the pan. Blending the curry takes more effort, but it will help create a rich and creamy curry sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add another half a cup of water, taste for seasoning, and add more salt if necessary. If you like your curry spicy, now it’s the time to add extra chili.
Add the baby spinach to the curry sauce. Stir for a couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted.
Serve with brown basmati rice or naan bread, and garnish with coriander, green onions, fresh chili, and chopped cashews to add some crunchiness.
Notes
Note 1: I know many curries use coconut oil as a base, but I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil as it’s a much healthier alternative. If using coconut oil, make sure it’s unrefined.
Note 2: Cumin seeds release a lot more flavor than cumin powder, but if you don’t have them in your pantry, sub for 1 teaspoon of ground cumin.
Note 3: The heat of chili powder can change quite a bit depending on which one you use. Try your curry and add more if you prefer it hot!
