Although this is a curry recipe, this is not the kind of curry the whole family will turn away from. Instead you will find that even the kids will enjoy this one.

It’s a very mild curry made from scratch with dried herbs and spices, things like turmeric, which is an anti-inflammatory and immune boosting spice that is so good for our health. And with the addition of pumpkin and coconut cream, it gives this curry a sweet flavour that everyone will enjoy.

This healthy recipe is simple to make and produces a generous batch to feed the whole family.

MILD SWEET PUMPKIN CURRY CHICKEN

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion – diced

3 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon dried coriander

3 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 long red chili

3 teaspoons tamarind paste

350-400g butternut pumpkin – precooked and mashed

1kg chicken thighs – diced

1 tin coconut cream

1/2 cup water

2 cups cauliflower – chopped into small pieces

Serve On: Rice, rice noodles, or steamed cabbage. Remember to cook your chosen base for this meal as well.

Cooking Method

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan

2. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until slightly browned

3. Add cauliflower in with the onion and cook for a further 5 minutes to brown off the cauliflower and soften it a little, then remove the mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl

4. Add some more oil to the pan and then fry up the chicken for a few minutes until it is slightly browned. You don’t want to overcook it here, just brown it up slightly.

5. Add the spices, tamarind paste and chili and put onion/cauliflower mix back in the pan and stir for a few minutes to release the aromas and flavours of the spices

6. Add coconut cream and 1/2 the water and stir. Add extra water if it needs watering down. Give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients then allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes

7. Add the mashed pumpkin and stir it in to combine

8. Bring it back to a simmer for another few minutes and then turn the heat off and let sit for 10 minutes uncovered

9. After it’s allowed to rest, serve it on your chosen base for a delicious meal

Note: The key with cooking chicken to tender perfection is to slightly undercook it during the cooking stage. When you allow it to rest it continues to cook through so when you eat it you’ll have super tender chicken instead of tough meat.

Tip: When preparing this recipe, pre-prepare the spices by placing them in a small bowl ready for adding into the mixture, that way you’re not trying to organize things as you’re cooking.

Addition: Serve with a spoonful of plain Greek yoghurt on top for a slightly different flavour.

Shopping Tip: If you ever use fresh chili like this recipe does, always choose the long red chili when you buy it from the supermarket. These have a very mild spice whereas the small red chillies have the really hpt spice that will burn your tongue. You can also buy tamarind paste at any local supermarket.