Curried Pumpkin

Whenever I'm sick or feel a cold coming on, I get cravings for spicy food.  Not just hot spicy, because I like that all the time, but the complex layers of spices you find in Indian, Thai, and Korean food.  I had a special request for Butter Chicken, and found myself rummaging through the weekly veggie box to see what needed used and would go well with it.  Butter Chicken is glorious by itself, but part of me feels like dinner isn't dinner unless there's a veggie on the plate.  (Thanks, Mom!)  This time of year, winter squash and root vegetables seem to be the stars of the produce box, so an onion, a carrot, and a pumpkin worked their way to the top of the list.

Curried Pumpkin

1 smallish pumpkin or winter squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, diced
2 T olive oil
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
 1/2 lime, juiced
 1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 C plain yoghurt
pinch of salt
pinch black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium sized heavy bottomed pot and sauté onion and garlic until slightly browned.  Add cubed pumpkin and spices and sauté for a minute longer, then add tomato, lime juice, yoghurt, salt, and pepper.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Serve with rice.  (Serves 4)

The pumpkin is on the upper RH burner here, just about ready to serve (it was feeling a bit shy and hiding in the back!):

Coconut Carrot Rice

1 C long-grain rice
1-1/2 C chicken stock
1 T olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, diced
pinch salt
pinch pepper
1 carrot, cut into 2" strips with a vegetable peeler
1 can coconut milk

In a medium pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic until translucent.  Add rice, chicken stock, and salt & pepper (to taste).  Simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid has been mostly absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally.  Add carrot strips and full can of coconut, and cook an additional 7-10 minutes, or until the coconut milk has been mostly absorbed and the rice is tender and creamy (a little residual moisture in the pan is fine). If you find you need to add more liquid, plain water will do just fine.  (Serves 4)

This may not be the prettiest meal on the block, but the house smelled heavenly!