Pumpkin stew with coconut, chilli and coriander


	Pumpkins and chillies by Elda Abramson available as a print from Pauntley Prints

Taken from "Vegetable Heaven" by Catherine Mason
(Pauntley Prints, 2002, ISBN: 0-9534879-3-6, price £20.00)
[other sample recipes]

This savoury autumnal stew is very quick and easy to make. Use floury potatoes and dice them quite small (1–2 cm) so they more or less disintegrate and thicken the stew when cooked. They should virtually disappear, giving you the excuse to serve this dish with more potatoes, mashed, baked or roasted, should you so desire. Good, rib-sticking, cold-weather comfort food, it's also a cheerful colour for a grey day.

1 large or 2 small butternut or other well-flavoured squash or pumpkin, weighing about ½ kg in total
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
4 red chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped
400 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
250 ml vegetable stock
400 ml can of coconut milk
salt and pepper
a generous bunch of fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped

Cut the squash in half from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds. Place each half cut-side down and slice into semi-circles, about 2 cm wide. Slice off the skin from each piece and cut the flesh into 2 cm dice.
Warm the oil in a large pan and fry the onions for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, chillies, potatoes and squash and fry for a couple of minutes more.
Pour in the stock and coconut milk, bring the contents of the pan to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for 15–20 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
If the liquid seems rather thin, just mash some of the vegetables with a potato masher and stir to amalgamate. Taste and season if necessary, then stir in the coriander leaves just before serving.

SERVES 4