Flavour-packed, slow-cooked dishes are the simplest yet most satisfying and comforting meals. The butternut squash takes on the spices really well and, with the extra veg, the dish has plenty of micronutrients. Greens, squash and other yellow/orange coloured vegetables are dense sources of pro-vitamin A and offer vital phytonutrients for immunity and eye health. This recipe makes enough for lunch the next day (to make your co-workers envious).
Butternut Massaman Curry
Ingredients
2 tbsp coconut oil
3 tsp Massaman Paste (shop-bought or homemade paste)
100g coconut cream
500g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 4cm cubes
300ml vegetable stock or water
2 tsp soy sauce (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp agave
50g sugar snap peas, roughly chopped
50g spinach, roughly chopped
25g coriander leaves, roughly chopped
20g dry roasted almonds, roughly crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
cooked brown rice, to serve (optional)
Method
Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the Massaman paste and fry for 1 minute, then stir in the coconut cream. Add the cubed butternut squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until lightly coloured.
Pour in the stock or water, add the soya sauce, bay leaves and honey, cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has reduced.
Remove from the heat, fold in the sugar snap peas and spinach and cover for 2 minutes. The heat of the curry will lightly cook them.
Garnish the curry with the coriander and crushed almonds and serve it on its own or with a little brown rice on the side to soak up the creamy sauce.
TIPS
+ Add coconut milk with the stock to make the curry sauce extra creamy.
Dr Rupy Aujla will be appearing at this year’s BBC Good Food Show Summer, taking place June 14th – 17th at the NEC.