PUMPKIN COCONUT CURRY
Ingredients
• 1 kg butternut squash, chopped into cubes • Olive oil to drizzle • 4 tbsp ghee • 1 tsp black mustard seeds • 1 small red onion, finely chopped • 4 garlic cloves, minced • 2 tsp ginger, grated • 1 red chilli, finely sliced • 1 bunch coriander stalks, plus extra to garnish • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 tsp cumin, ground • 2 tsp garam masala • 1 ½ tsp coriander, ground • 1 tsp turmeric • ½ tsp cinnamon • ½ tsp cayenne pepper • 1 tsp curry powder • 3 curry leaves, bruised • 400 gm tomato, chopped, strained • 1 tin coconut milk • 1 tablespoon maple syrup • 1 can chickpeas, cooked • 1 cup brown rice, cooked • Salted cashew nuts, lightly toasted
Method
On a baking tray, bake the butternut squash — drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper — until tender in an oven at 190° C ( about 30 minutes).
In a pan, heat the ghee, then add mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add onion and sweat until soft. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and coriander stalks. Cook further, stirring from time to time. Add salt, pepper and all the spices. Reduce the heat and cook for a further two minutes. Add chopped and strained tomatoes, coconut milk and softened butternut pumpkin. Allow to come to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes.
Using two cups of water, cook the rice in a saucepan, season well. To finish the curry, add maple syrup and chickpeas. Top with cashew nuts and coarsely chopped coriander leaves.
Serve warm.
Now, if I were to select the five ‘ Made for Each Other’ couples of Bollywood, it wouldn’t need much brain scratching. Because I’m going to be purely subjective.
Inevitably, some of them have had to surmount rocky phases. These have been resolved within the four walls of their homes, instead of sparking acrimonious controversies in the media.
Each one of the couples can be proud of the fact that they’re in a happy zone today. There are no signs at all of one impinging on the distinct identity of the other. No signs of gender inequality.
That’s actually a tough balance to strike in the egocentric, male- dominated enclave of Bollywood. But what do you know? They’ve managed to assert that — unlike the rash of estrangements and divorces in B- town nowadays — it can still be all about loving the family.