This recipe for pumpkin and butter bean curry is an ideal way for you to use up any pumpkin left over after Halloween. Pumpkin curry is a great winter warmer, especially if outside on Bonfire Night!
Alter the amount of chilli in this pumpkin curry to suit your taste
Most, if not all, of the ingredients are available at the Co-operative store in Pant or at Llynclys Farm shop, although if there are no pumpkins around, you might need to substitute butternut squash or marrow. The advantage of making your own pumpkin curry is that you can decide how much chilli to use and therefore how hot it will be.
Per portion this is a very economical meal to make – don’t forget to use a windfall apple, if you can get one – and served with some mango chutney and perhaps some poppadoms, it spices up any lunch or dinnertime.
Pumpkin and butter bean curry
Serves 4 to 6
Half a medium pumpkin – approx 1kg – peeled and cubed
One medium onion finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic crushed
One yellow or red pepper sliced
200g mushrooms chopped roughly
1 medium cooking apple peeled and cubed
400g tin of butter beans
1 tin of coconut milk
1 tablespoon hot curry powder
2 teaspoons crushed chilli flakes (optional)
2 vegetable stock cubes
Chopped coriander leaves (optional)
Half a lemon or lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Fry the onion in a little butter or oil until soft. Then add the pepper, garlic and mushrooms and fry for a couple of minutes without burning.
Turn down the heat slightly, add the curry powder and fry for two more minutes.
Then add the coconut milk, stock cubes and chilli flakes and bring to a gentle simmer. Add water as required to maintain a thick but not dry consistency.
Add the pumpkin and apple pieces and simmer for 30-40 minutes until soft. Check the consistency of the curry regularly and add more water if required. Just before serving, add the butter beans to warm through and season to taste.
Squeeze the lemon or lime juice into the pumpkin curry and serve with plain boiled rice, sprinkled with coriander leaves, or naan bread.