This dish from Goa combines creaminess, citrus zing and a bit of a spicy kick. A fantastic veggie meal that can also be turned into a tasty chicken or seafood option with little effort.
Many moons ago when I was knocking about in Goa—okay, stop laughing right now—the Australian woman who ran this little food shack near the beach very kindly shared her recipe for my favourite standing item on her menu. She told me she had learned it from the local women who supplied her with ingredients. I scribbled it down on a piece of paper, stuffed in the pocket of my baggies and, when I got home, was delighted to discover that I could actually replicate her delicious dish.
Her version favoured carrots, cauliflower and aubergine as the main vegetables, and certainly that's a version worth making. But, over the years, I've experimented with different vegetable combinations, eventually hitting upon what I think is the optimal trio. She also did chicken and prawn versions and those work very well too.
I find that kids like this dish. Maybe it's the sweetness of the pumpkin and the smooth, creamy flavours that tend towards a sweet-'n-sour situation in combination with the citrus. So, it's also a great way to get children who don't like veggies to get a little "stealth chlorophyl". I would describe the spiciness of this version as "mild-to-medium hot". But, if you or are averse to spicy food, simply reduce the number of minced red chillies used. Conversely, dial it up if you prefer hotter.
While the dish itself is easy and relatively quick to prepare, it's the spices that take some time. So, while the recipe below is for a one-off outing, I usually make my own Goan spice mix in scaled-up quantities, store it in a jar and use it whenever desired.
This dish has become a go-to favourite when I have a lot of large mushrooms on the cusp of being beyond their best. If you're doing this mushroom-heavy version of the dish, it will become a deeper brown as you cook it, unlike the red-orange colour it usually has with other vegetables. Don't panic: this is normal and no one will get hurt.
This recipe serves 3 to 4 diners. Scale up as needed.
Shopping list
for the Goan spice mix
1 tspn turmeric
1 tspn ground cardamom
2 tspn chilli powder
2 tspn ground cumin
2 tspn cumin seeds
2 tspn ground dried fennel
2 tspn ground dried coriander
2 tspn cloves
2 tspn black peppercorns
2 tspns paprika
1 tspn garlic powder
1 tspn fenugreek powder
1 tspn dried fenugreek leaves
4 tbspns of single cream (optional)
2tspns cassia powder (optional)
for the dish
1 large red bell pepper ; de-seeded and cut into rough, large cubes
500g large closed-cup mushrooms; cut into thick slices
4 red chillies, deseeded and minced or very finely chopped
400g fresh pumpkin cut into large(ish), irregular pieces
200g whole okra; fresh or frozen; topped
3 thumbs-lengths of root ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
2 onions, diced
4 cloves of garlic, very finely diced or crushed
1 tin 400g chopped tomatoes in their juice (ideally not Italian plum tomatoes)
1 tin coconut milk (400ml)
2 fresh limes
5 tbspns of fresh coriander, chopped
Vegetable, sunflower or peanut oil; about 3 to 4 tbspns; enough to coat the base of your cooking pan/pot. Alternatively, you can use ghee if you prefer
A pinch of salt
Basmati or pilau rice, as preferred
for the garnish (optional)
Approx. 250g yoghurt (or cottage cheese)
¼ cucumber; grated or finely diced
A clutch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
A clutch of fresh mint, finely chopped
Cooking Method
Grind all of your spices into a relatively fine powder, whether by hand using a pestle and mortar or with a spice grinder
In a pot with a lid, heat the oil on a medium-high heat. When hot, add the garlic and ginger, stirring continuously. Fry for a minute or two. As soon as they begin to dry—or show signs of sticking—add the chopped onions and minced red chillies
When the onions soften and turn golden, add the bell pepper. Add a dash of water, cover and allow the mixture to sweat and begin to soften; about 4 or 5mins or longer if required. Uncover and Add half of the ground spices and stir in, stirring continuously, ensuring they don't stick
When the pepper has softened, add the mushrooms, adding a little more oil if needed. Cover, reduce the heat slightly and allow to simmer for 5 or so mins
Add the pumpkin and stir, ensuring it's coated with the oil and juice. Then, add the chopped tomatoes and their juice to the pot. It should be sufficient so that all of the ingredients can cook without sticking and with a bit of room. Add ½ of the tin of coconut milk and stir in, gently adding the remaining spices
Bring to the boil and allow to boil vigorously for approx. 5 min. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 10 to 12 min on a low heat. Don't cover while it's simmering, allowing moisture to escape
Add the remainder of the spices and coconut milk (save for about 20ml), gently stirring it in. Add ¾ of the juice of the limes and stir in. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and allow to simmer for at least a further 10mins or so, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking
Meanwhile, cook your rice to be ready for plating, adding the remaining coconut milk and lime juice—and a dash of chopped coriander if you like— as it cooks
Add the okra about 4 mins before serving (an additional 2mins if using frozen). Alternatively—and I generally prefer this option—steam the okra and add, almost like a garnish at the plating stage
Tasting to check that the pumpkin is cooked to an optimum al dente texture first, if using the single cream, add a few minutes before plating and gently stir in
Turn off the heat and allow to rest for a few minutes. Plate and serve with any desired garnishes and side dishes
Top tip: if you find the sauce isn't thickening sufficiently, add 2 tspns of brown Demerara sugar to aid the reduction, stirring it in thoroughly until it dissolves and the sauce thickens
Alternatives
There are many variations you can use where your main vegetables are concerned. As mentioned, the version I first experienced used cauliflower, carrots and aubergines. I also love this dish with sweet potatoes and spinach. Play around, it's all good.
Pescatarians and carnivores: I often use this dish as a "base" when cooking for mixed parties of vegetarians and those who can't do without animal protein. Chicken or seafood such as large prawns work best. If opting for either, heat a little oil in a saucepan and sauté the chicken or seafood together with some chopped garlic and chillies and a little turmeric. Once cooked, spoon a relevant portion of the curry mixture into the pot in which you have cooked the animal protein and mix together before plating.
Pairings
My preferred tipples with this one are sparkling water with a dash of lime or guava juice (yes, I know, not traditionally Indian, but certainly Indian Ocean diaspora). Of course, like many Indian dishes, it's also great with beer.
Of course, there will be some great wine pairings, but for that, as you know, we will need to default to Karel.
Comments