Pumpkins aren’t just for trick or treating!
At FareShare South West, our chillers are slowly filling up with pumpkins and squashes of every shape and size – all rescued from going to waste by supermarkets, wholesalers and gleaning networks.
Pumpkins can sometimes seem a bit awkward to prepare and cook. But they’re versatile, satisfying and good for you, plus they’re mild enough in flavour to make it onto a kid’s dinner plate. And if you’re stuck for recipe ideas, our friends at Bart Ingredients have come up trumps with this easy vegetable curry that packs a flavourful punch!
Inspired by the flavours of India, sales from Bart’s range of masala spice tins support Bristol-based charity Frank Water that works to build a water secure future for some of the world’s most marginalised communities.
Always looking to do more both at a local and global scale, the team at Bart have donated 1500 tins of their Manipur Masala spice mix to be distributed alongside the hundreds of pumpkins we receive during October and November. Read more here
How to make Bart Ingredients’ Roasted Pumpkin Curry
- Vegetable oil
- 800g of pumpkin
- 1 large onion
- 500g of potatoes
- 1/2 tsp Bart Manipur Masala
- Salt and Pepper
For the curry paste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tsp Bart Garlic Paste or cloves
- 3 tsp Bart Ginger Paste or whole ginger
- 1 tsp Bart Manipur Masala
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 400ml full fat coconut milk or Greek yoghurt
- 150ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Pepper, to season
To serve
- A few handfuls of spinach or peas, or both
- Rice
- Naan
- Mango chutney
- Full fat yoghurt
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/425F/Gas Mark 7 and place a large roasting tin with a generous glug of oil in the oven to heat. Chop the potatoes into 1cm cubes and mix with 1/2 tsp of Bart Manipur Masala, a little oil and generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Once the roasting tin has heated, add the potato, mix well and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes.Next, peel and chop the pumpkin into 1cm cubes. Reserve a generous couple of handfuls, then add the rest to the potatoes. Roast for a further 15 minutes, turn gently, then reduce the oven temperature to 180C and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is soft but still holds its shape.
Whilst the pumpkin and potatoes roast, prepare the curry sauce. Finely chop the onion and sauté in vegetable oil for around 7 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring constantly for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Next add the Manipur Masala and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add the tomato puree, coconut milk or yoghurt, stock and reserved pumpkin. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and the liquid has reduced. Remove from the heat and leave to cook slightly, then blitz with a blender or in a food processor until smooth. Taste and season.
Return the sauce to the pan over a gentle heat. If you would prefer a thicker sauce, mix a couple of teaspoons of flour with water and stir in. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Next add in the roast pumpkin and potatoes and heat through. Finish with a few handfuls of spinach and peas, and cook for a further few minutes.
Serve steaming over fluffy rice, with naan breads and a spoon of mango chutney, or yoghurt to cool the heat if desired.
