Very fruity pumpkin curry (slow cooker recipe): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 10:18, 27 April 2014

Very fruity pumpkin curry (slow cooker recipe)

Servings:	Serves 4
Ready in:	4 hours 15 minutes
Prep. time:	15 minutes
Cook time:	4 hours
Difficulty:

This is my very fruity variation of Pumpkin and chickpea curry which I've adapted for the slow cooker. We had the remnants of an Abel & Cole fruit and vegetable box to use up so this was ideal! We'll be ok for our 5 a day this weekend!

This Is a great recipe for using up very hard or very firm pears and another recipe for your Gent night

I have to say that this was one of the best curries I've made in a long while.

Ingredients

spice powder

• Grind the following to a powder in a coffee grinder:
• ½ teaspoon white cumin
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 2 teaspoons of coriander
• 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

curry

• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil or ghee
• A big pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 5 Cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2.5 cm root ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 large red chilli, chopped into rings
• 450g (1lb) pumpkin or butternut squash flesh, peeled and cubed
• 2 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized chunks
• A handful of mixed dried fruit of your choice
• 1 tablespoon curry paste
• 1 400g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon jaggery or brown sugar

add during the last 30 minutes of cooking

• 2 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 banana, sliced

Mise en place

Set your slow cooker to medium

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan. Add the oil or ghee and a big pinch of black pepper
2. Gently fry the onions for 4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes, stirring so the garlic does not burn
3. Add chillies and spices and fry for a further minute
4. Transfer the spice mix and the remaining ingredients (apart from the last two) into your slow cooker
5. Mix very well and slow cook for 4 hours
6. Add the kiwi fruit and sliced banana 30 minutes before the cooking is completed
7. Add the stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the pumpkin is soft (about 20 to 40 minutes)

If the pears are soft then add them for the last 30 minutes so they don't go to mush.

Serving suggestions

Serve with homemade naan bread