Thai Red Pumpkin Curry
This Pumpkin curry is tender and delicious! Golden baked pumpkin wedges are served on top of a bed of fragrant steamed jasmine rice. The pumpkin is then topped with a rich and creamy Thai red curry sauce. DELICIOUS!!
Ingredients
PUMPKIN
- 1.2kg piece Jap pumpkin
- Oil, for coating
- Salt and pepper, to taste
CURRY
- 1 tablespoon neutral or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons red or penang curry paste, I used Maesari
- 400ml can good quality coconut cream, I used Ayam
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, lightly crushed in your hands
- 1 long red chilli, cut into 2cm pieces, deseeded if desired
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 165ml can coconut milk
- 150g green beans, trimmed and halved lengthways
- 1 bundle baby pak choy, trimmed
TO SERVE
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Coriander sprigs
- Finely sliced kaffir lime leaves
- Sliced red chilli
- Fried shallots
Instructions
PUMPKIN
- Preheat oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan forced). Line a tray with baking paper. Remove seeds from pumpkin but leave the skin on. Cut into 4 equal size wedges. Place pumpkin onto tray and drizzle with oil, rubbing in to coat evenly. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Bake pumpkin in the oven for 1 hour or until golden and tender, turning once during cooking time.
CURRY
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves and red chilli and bring to a gentle boil.
- Add the fish sauce and brown sugar, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
- Stir in the green beans and bok choy. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Remove from heat.
TO SERVE
- Divide rice between serving plates or bowls. Top each with a pumpkin wedge and spoon over the sauce and vegetables. Garnish with coriander, kaffir lime, chilli and fried shallots. Serve.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - CURRY PASTE
Maesri is the only store-bought curry paste I swear by; it stands out as the top choice and happens to be the most affordable. Available at Woolworths, you can get small 114g cans for approximately $2.10, making it an absolute bargain. I make it a practice to freeze any leftovers in a small zip-lock bag for future use. Additionally, I often purchase it from Asian grocers, where I opt for a larger container due to my deep appreciation for its flavours. When buying from an Asian grocer, you can explore a wide range of flavours such as Penang, yellow, chu chee, and more. - COCONUT CREAM & MILK
I opt for a high-quality coconut cream such as Ayam brand, known for its notably thick consistency compared to other brands. While alternative brands are acceptable, I steer clear of 'homebrand' coconut cream or milk due to their poor quality and thin texture. If you have a preference, you can replace the 165ml can of coconut milk with vegetable or chicken stock for a different flavour profile. - VEGETABLES
Feel free to substitute pak choy or beans with any vegetables you have available at home, such as zucchini, asparagus, broccolini, capsicum, and more. This flexible approach allows you to adapt the recipe based on the ingredients you have on hand, making it convenient and versatile for your preferences and pantry contents.