Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry

Butternut squash and chickpea curry is spicy, creamy and yummy vegan entree that will warm you up in the winter season. Butternut squash sauteed with onion, ginger, garlic, chillies and a few spices, then mixed with chickpeas, stock and coconut milk.

Sweet butternut squash goes really well with spicy chillies and warm garam masala and ginger and creamy coconut milk. This is my kind of comfort food and it is also very nourishing for your body. This curry is best served with rice but it is also a perfect match with cooked pearl barley.

I love squashes whether it is zucchini, pumpkin or butternut squash. I love them all as they are cheap, delicious and healthy. Many people get worried when it comes to butternut squash as it is pretty hard to peel and chop. But all it needs is a good peeler and sharp knife and of course,  you have to be careful while chopping it. Though nowadays you get a pre-chopped butternut squash but I always prefer to chop it myself.
Butternut squash and chickpea curry is a pretty filling meal as both chickpea and squash are full of fiber and also has many healthy vitamins and minerals. The dish is especially good if you are cooking your own dry chickpeas, as freshly cooked chickpeas taste better and you can also use it cooking liquid as a stock. Though cooking dry chickpea is not an instant process and you need to plan ahead to soak the chickpea for at least 6 hours. But the result can make you a believer and you are also getting rid off all the preservatives from the canned chickpea.

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Curry Recipe

Recipe by Neha NairCourse: MainCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Soak time

8

hours

Butternut squash and chickpea curry is creamy and rich stew made with beautiful butternut chunks cooked with coconut milk, chickpeas and some Indian spices.

Ingredients

• For cooking dry chickpeas :-

• 1 cup of dry chickpeas soaked in water for 6-8 hours

• 1 cinnamon, 2 cardamoms, 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp of salt

• For curry :-

• 2 tsp of oil

• 1 Tbsp of chopped ginger

• 1 large onion finely chopped

• 4-5 green chillies, chopped or to taste

• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

• 1 tsp of coriander powder

• 1.25 tsp of good garam masala

• 800 gm or 1.8 lb of butternut squash

• Salt to taste

• 3/4 cup of thick coconut milk

• 1 Tbsp of chopped cilantro

Directions

• For chickpeas, cook the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaf, salt and 4 cups of water for 3-4 whistles over medium heat. Or just cook it in a deep pan.
• When the cooker is safe to open, take out the cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf and discard.
• In a wide and deep pan, heat oil, then add ginger and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add the chillies, onion and cook until the onion is translucent. Then add garlic and saute again for a minute.
• Mix in the turmeric, garam masala and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add the butternut squash with salt and saute well, so that squash pieces get coated nicely with spices. Put on the lid and cook over low-medium heat for8-10 minutes, stirring in between.
• Pour the chickpea with its liquid and let the mixture comes to a boil over medium heat.
• Let it simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Add in the coconut milk and cook until it is warm through.
• Switch off the heat and add cilantro. Butternut squash and chickpea curry is done.

Notes

• Serve butternut squash and chickpea curry with steamed rice or boiled barley.
• If not a fan of coconut milk, add milk or whipped yogurt instead.