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Moroccan Butternut Curry

This butternut curry is so easy to make and such a delicious hearty vegetarian meal – perfect for a chilly weeknight.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Lunch, Main
Servings 4
Calories 281 kcal
Dairy Free, Gluten Free

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 inch ginger peeled and grated (or cut into thin matchsticks)
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds crushed
  • 2 ½ teaspoons coriander seeds crushed
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 850 g butternut skin cut off, cut into 3cm cubes
  • ¼ cup dried apricots chopped, optional
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 400 g crushed tomatoes one can
  • 1-2 teaspoons runny honey to taste
  • 400 g chickpeas one can, drained
  • 1/3 cup cashew nuts to garnish
  • ¾ cup coriander/cilantro chopped , to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil in a large fry pan on medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft (4-5 minutes), then add ginger, spices, and chilli. Continue cooking for a further 2-3 minutes.
  • Add butternut, dried apricots (if using), chicken or vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes and honey. Stir and bring to the boil. Lower heat a little and simmer for 15-20 minutes until butternut is soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and continue cooking a further 2-3 minutes.
  • Spoon into a large bowl and top with cashew nuts and coriander. Serve with buttered saffron rice (see below) or garlic bread.

Buttered saffron rice

  • In a pot (with a fitting lid), combine 2 cups rice with 3 cups water, a good pinch of salt and 10-15 threads saffron. Stir and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, reduce to lowest heat, cover tightly with a lid (if the lid doesn’t fit well, place tinfoil on top first, then lid) and cook for 15 minutes on very low heat (do not lift lid while cooking). Turn off heat and leave to stand (still covered) a further 8 minutes. Fluff up rice granules with a fork and toss through a good knob of butter.

Notes

The cinnamon, spices, chilli and honey give the butternut curry a real warmth and depth of flavour. It’s perfect served with buttered saffron rice, or even a simple garlic bread will do. Butternut is a favourite vegetable of mine so I’ve used it here, however you could substitute it with pumpkin, sweet potato, kumara, or you could even try using some swede – each would be delicious and nutritious in it’s own way!
This recipe was featured in My Food Bag.