Only recently have I been taught by a lovely Thai friend how to make pumpkin curry. I’ve even simplified it further by employing a slow-cooker. I’ve also reduced the amount of oil and sugar my friend uses at her restaurant. We just love the results and the hardest part of making it is prepping the pumpkin!

The “trick” I learned from my friend is the cooking of the curry paste in oil for a while. This is the magic of Thai curry paste, which having made Indian food a few times, what with the cooking of spices in oil, I get.

Prep the Curry Paste

In a sturdy pot (I use a cast iron wok) heat up 1/2 cup of oil and add a 14 oz tub of red curry paste (I like Arroy-D, which is reliably vegan)*. Reduce heat to low and cook until curry is highly fragrant. Put into larger jar, cool, put in fridge to use as needed. That’s it, that is the magic.

The Stuff

• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 can of water (use warm water, helps to rinse coconut milk out of can)
• 1/4 – 1/3 cup of red curry paste, prepared per the above note
• 1 2-3 pound kabocha squash, peeled and in bite-size chunks
• 1 package of water-pack, extra-firm tofu (12-14oz), cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 pound of green beans, stringed and snapped into bite-sized pieces (or 2 crowns of broccoli)

The Making

Into a slow-cooker set on high add the green beans, coconut milk, water, curry paste, and pumpkin.

Cook for a 2 hours and add tofu*. Cook another 45 minutes. *If you’re using broccoli instead of or in addition to green beans, add it now)

Enjoy with rice noodles, rice, or with a spoon.

*A note about oil:curry paste ratio. The 1/2 cup to 14 ounces of curry paste works out to around 2 teaspoons per ounce of curry. The smallest jar you can purchase is 4 ounces, which would be just a little more than 2.5 Tablespoons needed to cook it. Since it keeps for a while in the fridge once prepared, I always just use a 14 ounce tub of curry paste and use it as needed.

Ok, all I’m saying is that I DREAM about this dish ever since we made it.

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup earth balance (use soy-free)
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
* 3 tablespoons curry powder or curry paste
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
* 2-3 cups of diced seitan
* 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes (we used Rotel with cilantro and then didn’t add the fresh cilantro)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 3/4 cup cashews
* 1 cup coconut milk (I used unsweetened vanilla Almond milk since Dave can’t do the coconut)
* cooked basmati rice or jasmine rice, to accompany
* chopped fresh cilantro or mango chutney or raisins or cashews, to garnish

Heat earth balance in a 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot over moderately low heat until foam subsides, then cook onions, garlic, and ginger, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add seitan and cook, stirring to coat, 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, including juice, and cilantro and bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes to allows the flavors to meld.

Just before serving: Pulse cashews in a food processor or electric coffee/spice grinder until very finely ground, then add to curry along with coconut milk and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Serve over rice with additional broken cashews and TRY not to moan out loud, I dare you!!!

Andy made massaman curry tonight.  He tried to lobby for vegan brats since the Packers were playing the Vikings on Monday Night Football, but he’d already suggested Thai and I said I’d rather we stick with it.  Besides, I wanted rice!