Description
A rich and creamy peanut butter squash curry combining warming spices, lemongrass, and coconut milk for a hearty vegetarian meal. This curry features tender butternut squash simmered in a smooth peanut sauce, finished with fresh lime juice, coriander, and optional crunchy peanuts, served perfectly over cooked rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Paste
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3 lemongrass stalks, bashed and roughly chopped
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 2 red chillies (1 roughly chopped, 1 sliced to serve, optional)
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- Pinch of salt
Curry
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
- 100g smooth peanut butter
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 440ml can coconut milk
- 250ml vegetable stock
Finishing and Serving
- 1 lime, juiced
- Fresh coriander, chopped
- Peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
- Cooked rice, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the spice paste: Combine garlic, lemongrass, ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, one roughly chopped red chilli, onion, a pinch of salt, and a large splash of water in a food processor. Blitz until smooth to create the spice paste.
- Cook the spice paste: Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the oil starts to separate from the paste (the paste splits), releasing the flavors.
- Add the squash and flavorings: Stir the butternut squash chunks into the cooked paste, coating them thoroughly. Then add the light brown soft sugar, smooth peanut butter, and soy sauce. Cook while stirring until all ingredients are well combined and the peanut butter begins to melt and integrate.
- Simmer the curry: Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, season to taste with salt if needed, and cook gently for 30-35 minutes, stirring often. Keep an eye on the squash, as cooking times vary – it should be tender but not mushy.
- Finish and serve: Once the squash is tender, turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve the curry topped with fresh coriander, sliced red chilli, and roughly chopped peanuts if desired. Accompany with cooked rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- Check the squash regularly while simmering; some squash varieties cook faster than others.
- Adjust the amount of chillies to your preferred spice level or omit entirely for a milder curry.
- Peanuts add a nice crunch but can be omitted or substituted for other nuts if preferred.
- This curry is vegetarian and can be made vegan by ensuring that the vegetable stock and soy sauce used are vegan-friendly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Fusion / Asian-inspired
Keywords: peanut butter curry, butternut squash curry, vegetarian curry, creamy curry, Asian-inspired vegetarian dish
