Pumpkin and Chickpea curry

All the years of being young and trick and treating and carving pumpkins I've never before tried pumpkin – so I thought it would be worth a try – at least I will know one way or another if I like it or not. I brought a medium sized pumpkin and good lord you get a lot of flesh on those things! It felt like I had pumpkin coming out of my ears! I swear I was close to overdosing on it!

Ingredients – Serves 4 – ready in 30 minutes

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  
• 3 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
  
• 2 onions , finely chopped
  
• 3 large stalks lemongrass , bashed with the back of a knife
  
• 6 cardamom pods
  
• 1 tbsp mustard seed
  
• 1 piece pumpkin or a small squash (about 1kg)
  
• 250ml vegetable stock
  
• 400ml can reduced-fat coconut milk
  
• 400g can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
  
• 2 limes
  
• large handful mint leaves
  
• naan bread , to serve

Now for the How To:

• Heat the oil in a sauté pan, and then gently fry the curry paste with the onions, lemongrass, cardamom and mustard seed for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  
• Stir the pumpkin or squash into the pan and coat in the paste, and then pour in the stock and coconut milk.
  
• Bring everything to a simmer, add the chickpeas, and then cook for about 10 minutes until the pumpkin is tender.
  
• The curry can now be cooled and frozen for up to 1 month.
  
• Squeeze the juice of one lime into the curry, and then cut the other lime into wedges to serve alongside.
  
• Just before serving, tear over mint leaves, then bring to the table with the lime wedges and warm naan breads.

The good thing about this recipe is that it is vegetarian, vegan, dairy free and it is only 293 calories per serving – so you get a great tasting curry which is really good for you – so any of you still on your New Year diets – this is one to try!
Next up is another cake.... this time pumpkin cake! Its wonderful!