Beetroot and Pumpkin Curry
This vibrant, vegan curry is just what I needed to use up the random collection of root veg we happened to have in the larder. We didn't realise, however, that in Australia a 'Butternut Pumpkin' is a butternut squash, but used our little pumpkin anyway and it worked beautifully. The recipe (unintentionally altered!) is from Taste.au and serves about 4 people.
Ingredients:
- approx. 800g beetroot
- approx. 400g pumpkin (1 small pumpkin)
- 1 thinly sliced onion
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 thinly sliced long red chilli
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- cooked unsalted cashews, fresh mint/parsely and natural yoghurt, to serve
Method:
1. Scrub the beetroot, trim its stalks and place in a pan covered with water
2. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 45mins until tender
3. Strain the beetroot, leaving 500ml water in the pan, to which add pumpkin, onion, garlic, chilli, tomato puree and spices, bring to boil, and simmer for about 15mins, until the pumpkin is tender
4. Meanwhile, peel the beetroot, using washing-up gloves if still hot
6. Roughly chop and puree in food processor 150g beetroot
7. Chop the remaining beetroot and add it, and the pureed beetroot, to the pumpkin mixture
8. Simmer for 4-5mins until heated through
9. Serve topped with a dollop of yoghurt, sprinkled with fresh herbs and chopped cashews
