Get a handful of friends to come round, get a DVD box set and the following to make a warming curry that’s perfect for a sofa night.
1 kg pumpkin – can switch for / add chicken in its place
1 onion
2 whole garlic
Red chilli to taste
50g fresh ginger
2 sticks lemongrass
Handful of fresh coriander and fresh mint
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk
8 green cardamon pods
100g chick peas
1 tsp dark mustard seeds
1 tblsp vegetable stock
1 tsp sunflower oil
50g red curry paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 limes
250g Basmati rice
3 Spring onion
2 whole star anise
Peel and finely slice the onion and finely dice the garlic, ginger and chilli. Bruise the lemongrass sticks with the back of a large knife. Finely slice the spring onions.
Pick and roughly chop the mint and coriander leaves.
Remove the skin and seeds from the pumpkin and cut into large chunks.
Wash the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a saucepan, cover with double the volume of water. Add the salt, cardamom pods and star anise. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer with a lid on the pan until all of the water is absorbed.
In a large sauce pan heat the sunflower oil until hot. Add the onion and cook until caramelised. Add the pumpkin and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, red curry paste, cardamom pods, lemongrass sticks, lime leaves and mustard seeds and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling reduce the heat and simmer until the pumpkin is soft.
When the pumpkin is cooked add the chick peas and warm them through. Just before serving season the curry with soy sauce and lime juice. Stir in the fresh herbs and serve with the rice.
