I remember growing up watching my Dad constantly experiment in the kitchen and high on his list of experiments were curries.  We went from eating Ki si min in the 80s, with mince and cabbage, to hot vindaloos in the 90s, to the exotic and subtle flavours of kormas.  But butter chicken has always been a favourite.  I’ve found that, when replacing the chicken with vegetables the depth of flavour can sometimes be lost.  This butter pumpkin recipe has the flavour of the Kashmiri butter chicken that I remember from my childhood.

Spice Mix

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp cardamom seeds (approximately 6 pods)

½ tsp black peppercorns

½ to 1 tsp dried chilli

½ tsp nigella seeds (optional)

½ tsp fenugreek seeds

3 cloves

¼ freshly ground nutmeg

 

600g pumpkin

1 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp turmeric

½ tsp cumin, ground

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated

Bunch of coriander (cilantro), stalks, roots and leaves chopped separately (reserve some leaves for serving)

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

¼ cup no fat yoghurt (e.g. Jalna or Paris Creek)

4 ripe tomatoes or 1 x 420g can tomatoes

150g raw cashew

200ml vegetable stock

1 can lentils

2 sticks or cinnamon

100ml coconut cream

1 can of chickpeas

½ tsp salt

 

 

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Place all spice mix ingredients in a medium hot pan and dry roast for 30 seconds until aromatic.

Grind spice mix in a mortar and pestle.  Transfer to medium bowl and add lemon juice and yoghurt to make a thick spice paste and set aside.

 

Dice pumpkin, toss with a small amount of oil, ground cumin, turmeric and sweet paprika and roast in oven for 20 minutes until just cooked.

 

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in sauce pan, add onion, garlic, ginger and coriander stalks and roots and sauté for 5 minutes, until tender.  Add spice paste, tomatoes, stock and cashews and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.  Place sauce in a blender and blend until smooth.

 

Add lentils, coriander leaves, cinnamon quills and coconut cream and bring to a simmer.  Add cooked pumpkin and heat through.

 

Meanwhile in a fry pan, toast chickpeas in the remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil and a pinch of coarse salt.

Serve with pappadams, rice or cauliflower rice, steamed vegetables and top with toasted chickpeas and additional coriander leaves.

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