This butternut squash curry is so good and easy to make too!
My wife and I learned this butternut squash curry recipe while travelling around Sri Lanka.
We visited a little restaurant called Inspire. It only had a few tables but the food they put on those tables was out of this world amazing.
The owner and chef offered to show us this butternut squash curry recipe, which was actually prepared using green pumpkin at the restaurant and I’m so happy they did.
No frying! This healthy curry is one of my favourite veggie curries.
Butternut squash or pumpkin?
As I mentioned above, this butternut squash curry was prepared with green pumpkin at the restaurant.
It was fantastic but butternut squash works equally as well and is also easier to source. That said, if you happen to find some green pumpkin and a farm shop, pick it up. I recommend trying both options.
No Frying?
That’s right! Although most curries are fried at some stage, this butternut squash curry was simply simmered in a coconut milk liquid.
The fact that the ingredients weren’t fried made no difference to the end result. If you would rather tried a fried butternut squash curry, try this but I think you will love this version.
There are only a few ingredients in this Sri Lankan style butternut squash curry and they all work so well with each other.
Watch this butternut squash curry being prepared in Sri Lanka.
If you scroll down to the recipe, there is a video of my wife learning to make this curry in Sri Lanka.
She learned several recipes that day. The butternut squash curry starts at 4 minutes 50 seconds in the video.
Step by step photos…
Get your ingredients together before starting. It makes things easier when you go to cook.
Pound the mustard seeds in a pestle and mortar.
With the mustard seeds crushed, add the garlic and ginger and smash it up some too.
Stir in the coconut milk.
Place the cubed butternut squash in a large clay pot or sauce pan
Cover the squash with the coconut milk mixture and bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the squash is fall apart tender.
Perfect as a side dish or as a main with rice.
Sri Lankan Squash Curry
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 600ml (2 ¼ cups) light coconut milk
- 1 generous tbsp garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 generous tbsp ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 small green pumpkin or a small butternut squash, seeded and cut into bite sized pieces
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 20 curry leaves, fresh or frozen
- 1 x 2.5cm (1 inch) leeks, thinly sliced, white part only
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Start by preparing the sauce. Blend together the mustard seeds, coconut, garlic and ginger. and set aside.
- Cut the pumpkin/squash into bite sized pieces, leaving the skin on.
- Place the cut pumpkin/squash in a clay pot or large flat bottomed saucepan and cover with prepared sauce.
- Bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Add the turmeric, curry leaves, leeks and red onion.
- Simmer for around 20 minutes or until soft. Season with salt to taste and serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 160Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 593mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g
Avis Cooper
Saturday 18th of February 2023
Some of our butternut squash is beginning to get soft at the ends so I've just made this curry, again! We love the combination of the sweet and hot and spicey flavours. This is one of the curries that I've printed out and keep in a binder. I grew up in India and learned to love their cooking. I'm so glad I married someone who enjoys these, too! Thank you, Dan, for sharing your recipes with us. Be blessed.
Dan Toombs
Saturday 18th of February 2023
Thanks so much for letting me know. I am glad you married someone who enjoys your cooking too. Dan