Kabocha Squash Lentil Curry with Greens

Happy Halloween, y'all! As the preeminent expert on blog hiatuses, let me just say - it's good to be back... Again.

A ton has been happening. I've been busy launching a new recording project, putting on a recital for said project, traveling for gigs, teaching, and trying to have a social life amidst it all. I'm grateful to be busy, but glad to have a moment to blog again!

I guess when you compare this hiatus to all the other ones I've taken from the blog (6 months... two years......lol) five weeks isn't much, but it has felt a bit like an eternity. I mean, it's a different season entirely now! The autumn foliage is starting to pop, there's a chill in the air, and I've been wearing sweaters and boots because I ACTUALLY need them, not just because I'm trying to will autumn into existence. I already went apple picking, my dining room table is inundated with decorative gourds, and you had better believe I have a giant pumpkin bread scented candle hanging out on my kitchen counter.

Aside from the wardrobe, one of my favorite things about the temperatures dropping is that I get to bust out my dutch oven and make ALL the cozy food. I tried a vegetarian month in September, and a delicious side effect is that I’ve been cooking more great vegetarian meals.  Meatless chili has been heavily on rotation, and now I'm on a curry kick after a delicious encounter with a butternut squash curry last week. Inspired by that, I decided to get creative with the kabocha squash that had been sitting on my counter for weeks. 

Kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin, is my all time favorite squash. Its deep golden color, custardy texture, and sweet, nutty flavor are just irresistably cozy. In this curry, it melts down slowly in vegetable stock and coconut milk to form a rich and creamy base that is oh-so-satisfying.

What this curry asks for in terms of relative patience, it makes up for in ease and deliciousness. It freezes well, and the hardest part is peeling and cutting the squash! (Check out the recipe notes for my tips on this.) The next-hardest part is not sneaking a taste as the aroma fills your home. But trust me when I say that it's worth the relatively short wait: you can use the hands-off cooking time to practice, or just kick back and relax.

Served with rice and the Halloween movie of your choice (or a holiday movie - let's be real, they're coming soon), this curry is just what you’ll want come home to at the end of a long, chilly day. Put simply, it's a hug in a bowl.

Kabocha Squash Lentil Curry with Greens

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Yield: 4-6

Author: Sarah Kenner

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinInactive time: 25 MinTotal time: 50 Min

A warm, hearty, and richly spiced coconut curry with squash, lentils, and greens.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium kabocha squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes*
• 2 cups roughly torn dark greens (i.e. kale, chard, spinach)
• 1/2 tsp. salt (or more, to taste)
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1.5 tsp. sweet curry powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
• cayenne pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp. yields a slight kick)
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 13-oz. can full-fat coconut milk

Instructions

1. Heat a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Dice the yellow onion while you wait. When the dutch oven is hot, add the coconut oil until melted, and then add the diced onion. Stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. While you wait for the onion to soften, break down and cube the squash.*
3. Add the cubed squash to the pot and stir occasionally until somewhat tender, about 10 minutes. In the meantime, combine your salt and spices in a bowl, and gather the remaining ingredients.
4. Add the spice mixture, and stir to coat the onions and squash. Let the spices toast until they are fragrant and stick to the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the 1 cup of red lentils, 2 cups of stock, and can of coconut milk and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any browned bits. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to bring it to a quick simmer. Cook uncovered until the lentils are tender, about 20-25 minutes.
6. Use the back of your cooking spoon to mash some of the squash chunks. They will melt into and further thicken the sauce.
7. Turn off the heat and add in the kale. The heat of the curry will wilt it and keep it tender.
8. Serve over rice and topped with chopped cashews and cilantro, if desired.

Notes & Substitutions

1. *An easy and safe way to break down a kabocha squash:

• Lay the squash on its flat bottom. Using a sharp, sturdy chef's knife, cut it in half from the top down.
• Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
• Lay each half flat side down. Using your knife, cut off the tough skin by slowly cutting down and away from you, hugging the shape of the squash. Peelers will take too long, and are more likely lead to a bandaid later. ;)

2. Feel free to use another type of sweet, hearty winter squash (pumpkin, butternut, koginut, honeynut).

squash, winter, fall, curry, vegetarian, vegan, soup, stew, one-pot

vegetarian, vegan, soups, stews, one-pot

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