Thai Pumpkin Chickpea Coconut Curry

Name: Thai Pumpkin Chickpea Coconut Curry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil; 1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion; 1 small red bell pepper; 1 small yellow or orange bell pepper; 1 small red chile pepper; 3 to 4 cloves garlic; 2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 medium sugar pumpkin; 2 to 6 tablespoons Thai red curry paste; 2 cups low-sodium broth; one 14-ounce can coconut milk; 2 or 3 bay or kaffir lime leaves; one 15-ounce can chickpeas; about 3 cups fresh spinach leaves; 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1 tablespoon soy or fish sauce; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; ¼ cup fresh cilantro; nuts

User Reviews

5.0

12 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings
6 servings
Calories
431 kcal
Course
Lunch
Cuisine
Asian

Thai Pumpkin Chickpea Coconut Curry

Jade Rice

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🎃🥥😋 An EASY curry that’s ready in 30 minutes! Tender fresh pumpkin, chickpeas, bell peppers, spinach, and more all bathed in the most aromatic Thai-inspired coconut milk broth! If you love Thai food, skip the restaurant and make this better-than-takeout curry at home!

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Ingredients

Servings

2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil olive or vegetable oil may be substituted
1 medium/large sweet Vidalia or yellow onion diced small
1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced into thin strips
1 small yellow or orange bell pepper seeded and diced into thin strips
1 small red chile pepper jalapeno, or serrano chile, seeded and diced finely with seeds removed; optional
3 to 4 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed
2 to 3 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 medium sugar pumpkin peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 to 4 1/2 cups total, diced* See Notes)
2 to 6 tablespoons Thai red curry paste to taste **
2 cups low-sodium broth vegetable or chicken or water (I used water)
one 14-ounce can coconut milk full-fat will deliver a richer/thicker result, lite is ok
2 or 3 bay or kaffir lime leaves optional
one 15-ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed (I used no-salt added)
about 3 cups fresh spinach leaves heaping handful
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon soy or fish sauce optional and to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar optional and to taste
¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped for garnishing (basil may be substituted)
nuts cashews, peanuts, etc., optional for garnishing

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Instructions

To a large high-sided skillet, add the oil, onion, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to soften and turn a bit translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes; stir intermittently.
Add the bell peppers, optional chile, and continue sautéing for about 7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender; stir intermittently.
Add the garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant; stir almost constantly.
Add the pumpkin, and stir to coat it with the spices.
Add the Thai red curry paste, broth, coconut milk, bay or lime leaves, turn the heat to medium-low, and bring to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and cooked through. Tip - Make sure to keep your pumpkin chunks in the 1/2-inch size range or it will take much longer for them to cook through.
Optionally and if you prefer a smoother curry, remove about 1 cup of the softened pumpkin, peppers, and onion mixture (make sure not to grab a bay or lime leaf), add it to a blender, puree, and add the puree back into the curry. Alternatively, you can do this with a handheld immersion blender in the skillet if desired. I don't tend to puree at all because I like the texture, but do as you prefer.
Remove the bay or lime leaves from the skillet if you added them.
Add the chickpeas, spinach, lime juice, optional soy or fish sauce, salt and pepper, stir to incorporate, and allow the spinach leaves to wilt, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Taste the curry and optionally add the brown sugar (recommended because it helps balance the acidity and adds overall depth of flavor). If desired, add additional curry paste, salt, pepper, etc. to taste.
Add the cilantro, stir to combine, optional nuts, and serve with rice, naan bread, etc.
Curry will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. The flavors marry over time in the fridge and I find the the curry tastes better after a day or two in the fridge; reheat gently before serving.

Equipments used:

Notes

*Choosing the pumpkin: You want to use sugar pumpkins, which may also be called pie pumpkin or sweet pumpkins. They are small and round.
Long Island Cheese pumpkins, which are more oblong and can look like a wheel of cheese, can also be suitable.
Make sure you don't try to cook with the same type of pumpkin you carve and set out for Halloween. The flesh of those has a stringy undesirable texture and normally they are much larger than pumpkins to eat.
Since pumpkins and produce varies widely regionally, investigate what you can get your hands on in your area, do some research online, but by and large in the US it should be fairly easy to source a sugar or pie pumpkin this time of year in most well-stocked grocery stores.
Pumpkin substitute: If you can't get your hands on pumpkin, use sweet potato or squash such as butternut or acorn instead.
**Curry paste: As with all curry pastes and powders, they vary in intensity and everyone’s preferences for spice and heat vary, so adjust to taste. I used essentially the entire 4-ounce jar or Thai red curry paste and I wouldn’t call it the spicy because of it. You can always start with less and add more, to taste if desired, towards the end.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1serving Calories 431kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 19g (95%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Sodium 1188mg (50%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 11g (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 431 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	431kcal	22%
Carbohydrates	43g	14%
Protein	14g	28%
Fat	26g	40%
Saturated Fat	19g	95%
Polyunsaturated Fat	5g	29%
Sodium	1188mg	50%
Fiber	10g	40%
Sugar	11g	22%