In the world of recipe-writing, “Tuesday night” is kind of a cliche, shorthand for the kind of night where the week feels a little frantic and insurmountable but you still need to make dinner. As a mom with kids in several sports, many nights feel that way to me. Tuesday vibes. One of the weeknight dishes I make when I’m feeling very Tuesday is a Thai-style squash curry that’s semi-inspired by the “pumpkin curry” they have at Pho Lena. It’s meatless, easy, fast, warm, spicy and satisfying. A humble classic. I get a tub of yellow curry paste from Sagaya and keep it in my fridge. Sometimes I can also score kaffir lime leaves that I stash in the freezer. You can also use red curry paste with this recipe. If I’m in the mood, I throw in a can of chickpeas or, at the last minute, a few handfuls of frozen peas. You can adjust the liquid to suit your tastes.
Thai-style squash curry
Ingredient:
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 shallots
2-3 tablespoons Thai-style yellow curry paste
A 16 ounce box or 2 to 2 1/2 cups chopped butternut squash
1 15 ounce can of coconut milk (you can use light, but it’s not as good)
1 to 2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf (optional)
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
Method: In a medium dutch oven or pot, saute shallots and ginger over medium heat until shallots are soft. Add squash and curry paste and stir until the paste is distributed throughout the squash pieces. Add coconut milk, a cup of broth, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime leaf. The liquid should cover the squash. If it doesn’t add more broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes until squash is cooked through, but not mushy. Add more broth along the way if you’d like it on the brothy side. Stir in cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and warm short grain white rice.