Here’s a curry I put together with the intention of creating a lot of flavour without the heat from chillies. I LOVE spicy food but many of my friends, family and acquaintances do not. It sometimes feels like a challenge to cook food I find interesting that others enjoy. This curry is creamy and layered with flavour. And for those like me who love chilli, add fresh thinly sliced chillies when serving.
Autumn is the season for spaghetti squash and it serves as a light, complement to the curry!
Chickpea And Vegetable Curry On Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 cup raw chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked in ample water for 45 minutes to an hour until tender
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tbs Herbie’s vegetable curry powder (*see below for recipe)
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 - 2 tsp grey sea salt
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
10 shitake mushrooms, fresh or dried and soaked overnight, sliced
600-700 grams of pumpkin, peeled, seeds and inner pulp removed and chopped
2 fresh organic tomatoes, chopped
225 grams green beans, ends trimmed and chopped
1 organic red pepper, stem, inner core and seeds removed and chopped
1 can organic coconut milk
1 cup homemade vegetable soup stock (no salt or fats added) (for recipe see blog dated 19 January 2022)
juice for 1/2 lime
1 scallion, finely sliced (for topping)
handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped (for topping)
1/2 spaghetti squash, deseeded and inner pulp removed (for two servings)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 c.
Prepare the spaghetti squash and place it on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, facing down. Pierce the outer skin in several places. Put aside.
Prepare all your vegetables and spices.
Heat a dutch oven to a moderate to low heat. Add the chopped onion, bay leaf and slat and cook covered for about 8 minutes. Add the ginger, curry mix, cumin, turmeric and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the cooked chickpeas, pumpkin and mushrooms and combine with all the spices. Add the coconut.milk, soup stock and bring to boil. Add in the tomatoes and garlic. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
Put the spaghetti squash oil the oven to cook for about 30-40 minutes.
When the curry has simmered for 25 minutes, add the green beans and capsicum. Bring back to a simmer, add the garam masala and cook for 5 minutes. When done, stir in the lime juice and turn off the heat.
When the spaghetti squashes done, take out of the oven and with a fork, scrape the inner flesh away from the skin. Divide the flesh in two servings and Ladle curry over the top. Garnish with sliced scallions and fresh cilantro.
Herbies Vegetable Curry Powder
Ingredients
4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground Alleppey turmeric
1 1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp whole yellow mustard seeds
1 1/2 tsp whole brown mustard seeds
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1/2 tsp ground fennel seed
1/2 tsp ground cassia
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamon seed
Method
Combine all the spices in a jar. Seal with lid. Shake well. Label and store in a dark, dry cupboard.