Years ago, long before I went to India and knew anything about Indian cuisine, I learned to make my first Indian curry in New Zealand. It tasted terrible, nothing like the Indian curry with the delicious smooth pumpkin flavour I tasted for the first time in a backpackers hostel in rural Australia.

But… after many travels and try outs, this might just be getting close to that original taste….

Directions

1. Peel pumpkin and scrape out seeds. Cut into bite sized cubes. Finely dice onion and tomatoes.

2. Heat oil in a large frying pan until very hot. Add chilli and stir fry but don't allow to blacken.

3. Add mustard then saute until the mustard seeds begin to burst.

4. Reduce temperature to medium. Saute onion for 4-5 minutes until it begins to brown. Add tomatoes and stir.

5. Stir in turmeric and curry (only a little at first then taste and adjust if required). Remove chilli and discard.

6. Add pumpkin and mix well. Add a little water and simmer covered over low heat for 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin can be pierced easily with a knife.

7. While cooking stir from time to time and add water if necessary. The pumpkin should not boil dry but it should not be soupy.

8. At this stage you can add various other vegetables like cauliflower, carrot, green peas or even potatoes. They soak up the curry taste in wonderful way.

9. At the end of cooking stir in coconut and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the meal on an Indian steel plate, add naan, chapati or roti and a side dish or two and your in business ;-)

Ready In: 40 min.

Ingredients: