kabocha squash curry

One of my favorite winter squashes of all time is kabocha squash. While I love butternut squash, kabocha just has a velvety texture and sweet flavor that is unmatched. This texture makes it especially good for pureeing, as we do here in this recipe. With warming Indian spices* and the sweet, velvety texture of the kabocha, this dish is always so satisfying (so much so that my partner always goes back for seconds).

I’ve intended for this recipe to be flexible so that way you can use whatever you have on hand and/or whatever is seasonal. For winter time, I’ve used cauliflower and tofu here, but feel free to use any veg or meat that you think would pair well with the kabocha sauce (i.e. chicken, broccoli, chickpeas, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, etc. or other combination that sounds good to you!).

*s/o to Diaspora Co. my FAVORITE spice shop that works directly with farmers all over the world and prioritizes equity, sustainability, and quality. (also not sponsored - I just love them!)

kabocha squash curry

ingredients

1 kabocha squash

olive oil

1 large red onion finely diced

5 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1.5 inches of ginger grated

1 serrano pepper seeds removed and finely chopped (omit or use half if you want less heat)

2 tbsp double concentrate tomato paste

3 tsp cumin

2 tsp garam masala (divided)

1.5 tsp coriander

1 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder (cayenne works here; omit if you do not want heat)

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper

14 oz can diced tomatoes

14 oz can full fat coconut milk

1 head cauliflower chopped into bite-sized florets

16 oz tofu chopped into bite-sized cubes

juice from 1 lemon

1 bunch cilantro

rice or naan to serve

instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Half the kabocha and scoop out the seeds. Cover the kabocha in 1-2 tbsp of olive oil (including the skin) and sprinkle with a hearty pinch of salt. Cook skin-side down for around 25 minutes or until fork tender and starting to brown. [I usually like to start checking around 20 minutes to make sure it doesn’t get too dark.]

2. While the kabocha is cooking, prep your other veg (or meat if using meat).

3. Heat a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent and just starting to brown. Add garlic and ginger and stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then add tomato paste, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, 1 tsp of garam masala (we are saving the other tsp for the end), and 1 tsp of salt. Stir for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Add diced tomatoes and coconut milk. Refill the tomato can with water and add. [This ensures you aren’t letting any of that tomato-y goodness go down the drain.] Stir until combined and then add cauliflower and tofu (or whatever veg/meat you are choosing to add).

5. Bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.

6. Add remaining tsp of garam masala, juice from 1/2 lemon, about 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. I typically add more salt and the juice from the other half of the lemon.

7. Serve over rice or with naan and top with more cilantro as desired.

8. Enjoy :)