Creamy pumpkin curry

The summer’s officially over, the weather has turned, and I’m almost tempted to turn the heating on – autumn is here. Hands up if you’re ready for all things pumpkin?

(Here you can imagine me trying to type with one hand while waving the other in the air. It’s not easy.)

This creamy pumpkin curry is a great way to start a season of pumpkin recipes. It’s basically a simple Thai red curry, but with added pumpkin to make the sauce extra thick and luxurious. If there’s a way to make a recipe feel more indulgent while actually adding more vegetables, I’m on board.

I know that in some parts of the world (here’s looking at you, America), you can’t move an inch in the supermarket without knocking over a stack of tinned pumpkin, but if you’re in the UK like I am, it’s much more tricky to find. Some of the big supermarkets will have it in stock in October, but to save me searching for weeks on end, I tend to buy my tinned pumpkin from Amazon*. It’s not cheap, but I think it’s worth grabbing a few tins each year to get into the autumnal spirit.

Or, if you absolutely refuse to pay £3 a tin (can’t say I blame you), you could always go the cheaper, but more labour intensive, route of cooking and mashing a butternut squash. Up to you.

Either way, you should definitely give this creamy pumpkin curry a try! You can use whatever veggies you have in the fridge – I used peppers, carrots, asparagus and edamame. You can also adjust the heat as you see fit – I made my pumpkin curry pretty fiery, but you can always skip the extra chilli and / or the cayenne pepper if you think your Thai curry paste is spicy enough on its own. Personally though, if a meal can warm me up without me having to turn on the central heating, that’s a major plus!

(I’m not a cheapskate… I just prefer to spend my money on extortionately priced tinned vegetables than, you know, heat or electricity)

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Creamy pumpkin curry

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 30 mins

Servings: 3

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced or diced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced or diced
• ~ 15 spears asparagus, cut into chunks
• 80 g frozen edamame (~ 1/2 cup)
• 1 tbsp red Thai curry paste
• 245 g tinned pumpkin (~ 1 1/2 cups)
• 250 ml coconut milk (~ 1 cup) - I used light
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Salt
• Black pepper
• To serve: chopped cashew nuts, fresh coriander (cilantro)

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the thinly sliced carrots. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, then add the chilli, garlic, and peppers. Continue to cook for 4-5 more minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are fairly soft. Add the asparagus and edamame, and cook for 2 more minutes.
• Next add the Thai curry paste, tinned pumpkin, and coconut milk. Mix carefully until well combined, and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the turmeric and a pinch of cayenne pepper (if desired), along with a squeeze of lime juice and some salt and pepper. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes or so, until all the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
• Serve topped with chopped cashew nuts and fresh coriander (cilantro).

Course: Main meal

Author: Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.

Love the flavours of a Thai curry? I would thoroughly recommend my red Thai satay tofu:

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