Hey hey!
Here’s to trying new ingredients.
Which is always uber exciting in my book.
I happily accepted leftover ingredients from a couple cooking classes this week and wasted no time before putting those precious goods to work.
If you haven’t heard of kabocha, she’s a Japanese winter squash with an edible skin.
Roast her up or include her in soups, stews, and curries.
She’s a versatile gal, and a little scary to dice up so pleaseee keep your digits and limbs intact.
Okay so I’m a wee bit obsessed with peanut butter aka it’s my favorite food, so naturally I had to add a couple spoonfuls to this curry to amp up the flavor and creamy dreamy factor.
Is that cheating?
Certainly not.
This particular curry takes advantage of store-bought red curry paste, fresh ginger, low-sodium vegetable broth, full-fat coconut milk, coconut sugar for a hint of sweetness, our star kabocha (butternut and carnival squash work too), sliced carrots, crisp bell pepper (not the green variety damn it), nutty peanut butter (hands off the sweetened, oiled up kind), lime zest + juice, and last but certainly not least, fresh cilantro and Thai basil.
It’s really quite easy, promise!
Serve over a bowl of fluffy rice then try not to burn your eager taste buds in anticipation.
P.S. If you can’t find kabocha, feel free to swap in butternut or carnival squash… just don’t try to eat that tough butternut skin. To be perfectly honest I’m not exactly sure which squash is in my photos, ha.
P.P.S. Have a handful of fresh spinach or green beans on hand? Throw them in! The green beans should go in the pot with the peppers to maximize their crisp-tender potential, while spinach can be stirred in right at the end. Want more protein? Tofu would be a solid plant-based choice. Go with an extra-firm variety so it doesn’t break up in that pot of flavor.
Kabocha Squash Peanut Coconut Curry
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons microplane/minced fresh ginger
- 1 cup high-quality low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 2 cups medium-large dice kabocha squash (seeds and pulp removed, skin intact)
- 1/3 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced red, orange, or yellow bell pepper
- 2 heaping tablespoons creamy salted natural peanut butter (no oil or sugar added)
- 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
- Fresh cilantro, for topping
- Thai basil, for topping
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium pot over medium-low heat, gently saute the curry paste and ginger for one to two minutes, until fragrant.
- Stir in the vegetable broth and coconut milk, then bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the sugar, then carefully add the squash and carrots to the curry.
- Bring back to a gentle simmer and partially cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until the squash is mostly tender.
- Add the bell pepper then cook for 5 more minutes, or until the squash is tender.
- Remove from heat, then stir in the peanut butter, lime zest, and juice, making sure the peanut butter dissolves.
- Taste and adjust ingredient amounts if you'd like.
- Spoon the curry over rice, then top with cilantro and Thai basil. Serve with lime wedges.