Friday Food: Squash, Coconut, Chilli

Friday Food on Saturday. I had lots of appointments this week, visits to make and the weather was hot and we went for a nap yesterday after The Labradors' tea and that was it basically. I even had photos ready on my camera for three things, but I was too tired to make the effort.

We have all had a rather long nap this afternoon too, and I made a fresh batch of this recipe for my tea. I used sweet potato instead of pumpkin or squash and dried chilli flakes. I used plain ordinary curry powder because I haven't replaced my curry pastes after The Fridge Incident last year which I may, or may not, have mentioned. I used a whole tin of coconut milk even though I halved the recipe. I love the sauce element of everything and sop it up with rice or bread. Yum!! I find that the sauce thickens on refrigeration so it's nice to have a little extra.

This recipe is from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Three Good Things book which finally arrived at The Library for me. He is also on TV as I type this with his Bread episode of Everyday Food. I am tempted to try my hand at a sourdough starter.....

 

Squash, Coconut, Chilli    serves 4

• 800 - 1kg squash, pumpkin or sweet potato
• 2 tbspn vegetable oil of your choice
• 1 onion, thinly sliced, I used red
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2-4 mild chillis, deseeded and sliced, I used 1/2 tspn dried chilli flakes
• 4 tspn good curry paste or powder
• 400ml tin coconut milk
• lemon or lime to serve
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan over a low to medium heat and gently cook the onion for 10 minutes or so. Stir occasionally. It will cook down and go nicely brown and soft.  While the onion is cooking, peel the squash/pumpkin/sweet potato and cut into bite-sized chunks. After 10 minutes add the garlic and chilli and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the curry and cook for two minutes more. Then add the squash and stir to coat with the curry and onion mixture, cooking for 2 minutes more.

 

That's pretty much all the attention you need to pay to the pan now. Pour in the coconut milk, season with salt and pepper and stir. Allow to come to the boil, turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20-25 minutes. The squash should be tender but not falling apart.

Serve with rice, salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon or lime.  This is great as a lunch or quick weekend meal, or it could be served with some fish or chicken. Hugh suggests adding a green vegetable 8-10 minutes from the end and a scattering of coriander on serving.

Comments

[catherine]

Looks delish!!

[Rachel]

Sounds yummy! I had two lots of sourdough starter in my freezer (from before Christmas, when I made the Herman the German Friendship cake) that I finally threw out this last week, as I knew I wasn't going to use them. I should have given them to you instead.

[Kate]

Yum! This looks good. Maybe I should be looking at this recipe book?

[mrspao]

Yummy yummy! I have a butternut squash in the fridge and all those other ingredients.