Sri Lankan Pumpkin Curry (Wattakka Kalu Pol)

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🎃 800g pumpkin
• 🏺 2 Tbsp sunflower oil
• 🌿 1 Tsp mustard seeds
• 🌿 15 leaves curry leaves
• 🧅 1 medium onions
• 🧄 3 cloves garlic
• 🪴 10g ginger
• 🌶️ 10g green chilli peppers
• 🪴 1 Tsp turmeric
• 🌿 2 Tsp curry powder
• 🌿 0.5 sticks cinnamon
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp chilli powder
• 🧂 1 Tsp salt
• 🥤 250ml tap water
• 🥥 400ml coconut milk, canned
• 🍋 1 Tbsp lime juice

Method

1. Peel the pumpkin (or butternut squash), scoop out the seeds and cut into 3 cm chunks.
2. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, grate the ginger and slit the green chillies lengthways.
3. Roast the curry powder: toast it in a dry pan over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until a shade darker and fragrant (Sri Lankan curry powder is traditionally roasted). Tip out of the pan.
4. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and, when they start to pop, the curry leaves (stand back – they spit) and the cinnamon.
5. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli and cook 1 minute.
6. Stir in the turmeric, roasted curry powder and chilli powder, then add the pumpkin and salt and toss to coat.
7. Pour in the water, cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the pumpkin is just tender when pierced.
8. Shake the coconut milk can, pour it in and simmer gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes until the sauce is creamy and some pumpkin pieces have started to break down. Don't boil hard or the coconut milk may split.
9. Remove the cinnamon, stir in the lime juice and taste for salt. Serve with rice or roti, with a spicy sambol on the side if you like.