Spicy Vegetable Curry with Squash and Tomatoes

Ever since I learned to make curry, I have made it nearly every week.  It is the perfect meal to satisfy my husband's love of spicy foods, but not so spicy that I can't enjoy it too.  Actually, the spiciness is what I love about curry.  It is not "hot" spicy (well, it can be), it is the powerful burst of flavor from a combination of many different spices.  As I've said before, I love making curry powder, and I find many, many ways to use it.  This recipe is one of the basic curries that I make.  Most of the curries I make include homemade curry powder, a paste containing garlic, ginger, and hot peppers, onion, and tomato.  The great thing about curry (like all Indian food) is that you can use water, instead of stock, and it still comes out incredibly flavorful.  I added pureed squash to this recipe because it thickens the curry nicely.  However, you could achieve this with mashed potato or eggplant as well...and it would still taste great.  Butternut squash, though, is very sweet, so there is a nice balance of sweet and savory. And it's in season right now!  Although I made this curry vegetarian, it would also be a great base to pour on chicken, steak, or fish.  Or you could even braise meat in it.  The only thing I would recommend is not adding the coconut milk in until the very end (or exclude it altogether) if you're going to be simmering this dish for a long time...which you would need to do if you were going to braise meat in it.  However, if you want to keep it vegetarian friendly, the curry is super quick and easy!

The only note that I have for this recipe is DON'T over cook your veggies!  Mushrooms and onions can be cooked down without a problem, but red bell pepper and broccoli cook fast...and when they're overcooked, they get limp and less appetizing.  I like to "flash cook" my veggies so they are tender, but stay relatively crisp and colorful!

Spicy Vegetable Curry

5 cloves garlic
1 1" piece of fresh ginger
1 large jalapeno (or more if you like it spicy!)
2-3 TB olive oil
1 cup onion, medium dice
1 cup mushrooms, medium dice
1 cup red bell pepper, julienned
2 cups cooked, pureed butternut squash (or other winter squash)
1 cup canned tomatoes
2 tsp curry powder (recipe here)
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup coconut milk (or more to balance the spiciness)
water if needed
salt to taste


1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Wash butternut squash, the trim off each end.  Cut in half, then trim off the thin skin.  Cut in half again, and core out any seeds (these can be washed, saved, and roasted for later). Cut squash into large cubes (about 2 inch squares), add to a casserole dish, and add enough water to cover the bottom.  Cover dish with aluminum foil (or lid if available), and bake for about 45 minutes or until squash is soft and can be cut with a butter knife.  Set aside to cool.

2.  In a food processor, add in ginger, garlic, and jalapeno and puree into a paste.  Add a little water if necessary.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.

3.  In the food processor (no need to wash it out), add in 2 cups squash and 1 cup tomatoes and puree until smooth.  Set aside.

4.  In a deep skillet or soup pot, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add in onions and mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt.  Saute, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft (about 5-8 minutes).  

Add in chili garlic paste, curry powder, and red bell pepper.  Saute about 1-2 minutes.  

Add in squash and tomato mixture and a little water if necessary (it should be a thick sauce).  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer for about 5-10 minutes.  Add in broccoli and cook until broccoli is bright green (about 3-4 minutes).  

Turn off heat and stir in coconut milk.  Season with salt if needed.  Serve over rice or meat.

This dish is warm, hearty, and comforting.  Once you know the basic recipe, it is easy to add different ingredients to make it your own.   Or try new things like pouring it on top of baked potatoes...that would be delicious!  So, eat and enjoy! :)