Butternut squash and carrot curry

My passion for Indian food is not very old. I was always interested by the Indian culture, but its food seemed too complex with its countless spices. Not to mention that I don’t like hot spices! However, two years ago Clotilde’s sister gave us an Indian cookbook by Jody Vassallo, and we tried to make some Indian recipes in our own occidental way (not too spicy as in “hot”). Little by little I began to understand some of the complexity behind Indian food as well as its diversity and potential! I would like to show you little by little how to cook with Indian culinary wealth, as I have learned myself! Today’s recipe is a sort of butternut squash curry with carrots. In India curry varies by region and family, and it’s transmitted from parents to children.

Note: Clotilde here – Yohann is too modest to boast but this is recipe will create an explosion of flavor in your mouth. You really must try it.

Serves 2 – 4 people

Ingredients:

• 1/2 butternut squash
• 4 carrots
• ½ a cup of coconut milk
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon of curcuma
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• Black pepper
• Olive oil
• Water

Mix the ginger, garlic with the juice of one lemon. Reserve.

Put four tablespoons of olive oil in a pan at medium. Once the olive oil is hot add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds have stopped simmering add the chopped onion and the garlic/ginger paste, the curcuma and the garam masala with four tablespoons of water. Let the mixture simmer at low heat for 5 minutes. Peal and chop (into cubes) the butternut squash and carrots and add in the pan with ½ a glass of coconut milk. Let simmer at low heat until the butternut squash and carrots are soft (about 20-30 minutes). Remove from heat and add a pinch of black pepper.

Bon appétit! Keep posted tomorrow for a bread recipe to accompany this dish!

Why this is good for me: This is a recipe full of beta-carotene (found in the carrots and butternut squash) and not to mention curcuma is the most powerful natural anti-infammatory substance. This is a very filling meal.