Hi! I'm Sam, and lately, I'm obsessed with pumpkin recipes. Sweet, savoury, you name it, I want it all. Today's pumpkin prominent plate (see what I did there), is my current favourite 30 minute, easy weeknight dinner, Pumpkin Cashew Curry. Now, this is how you do pumpkin!
I used a fresh pumpkin so this dish is full of hearty pumpkin chunks which are simmered in a spiced curry cashew cream sauce. Oh, baby, it's good. It's real good. Hearty, warm, comforting, creamy, chilly day curry. Yes, please!
But there's more! Today's recipe for Pumpkin Cashew Curry is even better because it was part of a challenge!!!!! Oooooohhhh aahhh.
Ok, well I guess it wasn't really a challenge but more of a "hey let's see what will happen if we use the same ingredients" collaboration. Alissa, from the most wonderful blog Connoisseurus Veg and I, had a dual where together we randomly chose three ingredients and then made recipes using those ingredients. Fun right?
The ingredients were, drumroll please.... pumpkin, cashews, and ginger. What we did with them was totally up to us, and boy did we take different approaches. I went savoury with my Pumpkin Cashew Curry, and Alissa went sweet with these amazing Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies ↓↓↓
Yeah, I know, I'm drooling too. Pumpkin, cheesecake, AND brownie, all crammed into one vegan dessert, what is this madness!?
If you are new to Alissa and Connoisseurus Veg, be sure to hop over to her blog and check her out. She has a LOT of super scrumptious vegan recipes including some faves: Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara, Slow Cooker Vegan Lasagna Soup, and Vegan French Dip Sandwiches. Try not to drool all over your technology when viewing her site, please.
Ahhhhh sooo much vegan deliciousness to be had. Love it!
Now back to today's recipe for Pumpkin Cashew Curry.
To make Pumpkin Cashew Curry: Start by making the curry cashew cream, simply add everything to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
*If you do not have a high-powered blender such as a Blendtec or Vitamix, soften the cashew first. To soften the cashews, add the cashews to a medium pot and cover with water. Boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Prep the pumpkin by cutting it half, scooping out the seeds and pumpkin guts (is that what they are technically called)? The use a sharp potato peeler to peel off the skin of the pumpkin. I found it easiest to slice the pumpkin into smaller sections and then peeled those sections. Then chop into 1 - 2 inch chuncks
Add the oil to large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown. Add the pumpkin, vegetable broth, and curry cashew cream. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook for 8 - 10 minutes until the pumpkin is fork tender. Use an immersion blender in the pot to purée about ⅓ of the curry leaving lots of pumpkin chunks.
Serve with rice or naan and garnish with cilantro and roasted cashews. Curry love <3
Pumpkin Cashew Curry
My Notes:
Ingredients
For the curry cashew cream:
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ cup raw cashews (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
For the curry:
- 1 tablespoon light oil (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 small pumpkin (about 1000g when peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 - 2 inch cubes)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Optional garnishes:
- 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 handful roasted cashews
Instructions
- For the curry cashew cream: add everything to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- For the curry: add the oil to large pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger, then sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion turns translucent and begins to brown. Add the pumpkin, vegetable broth and curry cashew cream. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook for 8 - 10 minutes until the pumpkin is fork tender.
- Use an immersion blender in the pot to purée about ⅓ of the curry leaving lots of pumpkin chunks. Serve with rice or naan and garnish with cilantro and/or roasted cashews.
Notes
Nutrition
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Srivani says
(Figured I should put the comment under the correct recipe!). This was so Sam-tastic! (A better new word, meaning: easy, simple, delicious, specific to idtlc). And so delicious. I did use a butternut squash (because, well, no pumpkin) and added about 1 TBSP more curry since we LOVE curry dishes. Also added about a half can of chickpeas that were just sitting in the fridge yelling at me to use them (added after I used the hand-blender). The 9 month old boy LOVED this too. Thanks Sam!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha love it! You're most welcome! 😀
Peter says
Did the pumpkin curry last night.
Good!
1000 grams is about 4 cups for us older folks
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it!
Mike says
Sam, I tried this recipe and followed it to the letter. Unfortunately, my wife and I found the pumpkin cashew curry to be quite bland. Nice colors and great ingredients, but lacking in flavor.
Sam Turnbull says
Oh no, so sorry to hear that! There is lots of spice, onions, garlic, and ginger in this recipe so I am not sure how it turned out bland for you, but you are always welcome to add more seasonings to taste.
Cecile says
I have lots of canned pumpkin and I’d like to replace the pumpkin with canned. How much should I use?
Sam Turnbull says
I would say a 28oz can would be fine, BUT this means the curry will just be liquid without any chunks, so it will be more of a sauce than a curry. You should likely reduce the amount of vegetable broth as well as it might become too soupy.
Cecile says
Thank-you! I may add some cubed frozen butternut squash that I have on hand
Sam Turnbull says
Good idea!
Alissa says
Hey Sam! I had so much fun with this challenge!! And I'm so glad I finally have the full recipe for your pumpkin cashew curry! It looks & sounds amazing! I'm going to grab a pumpkin later this week so I can make it this weekend. 🙂
Thanks so much for this!
Sam Turnbull says
It's all my pleasure, Alissa! It was so much fun to collaborate in this way. I can't wait to give your pumpkin cheesecake brownies a try!!! Omnomnom. 😀