Kiri Hodi with Butternut Squash

by Meera Sodha

Ingredients

1kg butternut squash, halved, deseeded and peeled, flesh cut into 1½cm cubes (about 900g net)
2 tsp mild curry powder
1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
Fine sea salt
1 brown onion, peeled and finely diced
5 green finger chillies, finely sliced
12-15 fresh curry leaves
¾ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 x 10cm-long cinnamon stick, snapped in two
2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
1½ tbsp lime juice (ie from 1 lime)
Rice, to serve

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and line a baking tray (I have a reusable baking liner).

Put the squash cubes in a large bowl, add the curry powder, rapeseed oil and three-quarters of a teaspoon of fine sea salt, and toss to coat. Tip out on to the tray in an even layer, roast for 35 minutes, then take out of the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, put the onion, chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, fenugreek, garlic, cherry tomatoes, cinnamon and one and a half teaspoons of salt in a medium saucepan, then add 200ml tap water. Over a medium to high heat, bring up to a boil and cook for 12 minutes, until the onions and tomatoes are completely soft and nearly all the liquid has evaporated.

Add the coconut milk and the roast squash, bring back to a gently bubbling simmer, then turn off the heat and add the lime juice. Taste and adjust the salt and lime as needed, and serve with steamed rice.

Recipe Source