Vegan Thai Kabocha Squash Curry

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Use a large, sharp knife to slice the kabocha squash in half. For tips on how to slice the kabocha squash, see the blog post section on “how to cut kabocha squash.” Once sliced in half, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Lightly brush each squash half with a bit of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place the squash halves, flesh side down, on the sheet pan. Roast for 40-45 minutes until the flesh is very tender. If your squash is large, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
4. Once it’s cool enough to handle, use a spoon to scoop the flesh out of the skin, and discard the skin. Place the kabocha squash flesh in a blender and add ½ cup water (or vegetable broth) and puree until very smooth. You should end up with approximately 3 cups of liquid.
5. While the kabocha squash is roasting, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Dice the onions and carrots.Mince the garlic, grate or finely mince the ginger, and thinly slice the chile peppers (if using). Measure out the other ingredients.
6. Heat a Dutch oven or a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil, and once it’s shimmering, add the onions and carrots along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for 7-8 min, or until they are very tender and lightly browned.
7. Add the garlic, ginger, chile peppers (if using), red curry paste, and turmeric. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring very frequently to coat the vegetables in the aromatics. If you aren’t using a nonstick pan, you may need to add a splash of water to prevent the mixture from drying out and burning.
8. Pour the pureed kabocha squash sauce into the pan, then add the lite coconut milk, tamari, miso paste (if using), maple syrup, and black pepper to taste. Stir or whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
9. Add the drained chickpeas and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the curry has become thick and creamy, and the veggies are fully softened.
10. Remove from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice and cilantro. Taste, adding more lime juice or salt/pepper as needed. Serve with white rice or grains of choice.