Winter Squash and Wild Mushroom Curry
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings
- 3tablespoons vegetable oil
- 10ounces butternut or other winter squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 or 2small green chiles, such as jalapeño or serrano
- 3medium shallots or 1 small onion, finely diced
- ½teaspoon black mustard seeds
- ½teaspoon cumin seeds
- Handful of fresh or frozen curry leaves (optional)
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 1teaspoon ground coriander
- Pinch of ground cayenne
- ½teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1pound mushrooms, preferably a mix of cultivated and wild, trimmed and sliced ⅛-inch thick
- ¾cup coconut milk
- 2tablespoons lime juice
- Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
181 calories; 14 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 465 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
In a wide skillet, heat oil over medium-high. When hot, add squash cubes in one layer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, letting cubes brown slightly, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Use a slotted spoon to lift squash out, and set aside.
- Step 2
Cut a lengthwise slit in each chile to open it, but leave whole. (This helps the chiles heat the sauce without making it too spicy.)
- Step 3
Add shallots, salt lightly and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves, if using, and let sizzle for 30 seconds, then add garlic, coriander, cayenne, turmeric and chiles. Stir well and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Step 4
Add mushrooms, season with salt and toss to coat. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Step 5
Return squash cubes to skillet, stir in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium and simmer for another 5 minutes. If mixture looks dry, thin with a little water. Taste and season with salt.
- Step 6
Before serving, stir in lime juice. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with cilantro.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
S
Curry leaves are leaves of the Murraya Koenigii tree. Do not confuse with something called "curry plant" (helichrysum) which has no connection with Indian cooking. Curry leaves are widely used in South Indian cooking, and impart a very characteristic aroma and taste to the food. There is no real substitute. They are easily available in the US as Indian grocery stores have proliferated in most areas, otherwise via the Internet. Curry leaves also have no connection with curry powder.
SH
Delicious, but instructions are a bit off. Makes no more than 4 servings. Double squash. Pre-roast squash for 10 min at 400 to ensure it will be fully cooked, then saute. Mushrooms need more than 5 min to soften. Use 1/4 tsp cayenne at least. Ground cumin is fine. Full can coconut milk. Add 1 crushed preserved lime when returning squash to pan. Loosen curry with water if needed before serving.
Daniel
Made this tonight to eat during the rain storm tomorrow. Used 3 hot peppers from our garden seeded. Tasted absolutely fabulous. Two changes: 1. Instead of water I added 1/4 cup of vermouth 2. Added canned chickpeas Instead of serving it with rice I would serve it crusty bread and garlic butter
Megan
I made this tonight, and it was AMAZING. I would say the curry leaves are not really optional. I can't really imagine it without them as they were one of the strongest tastes. I really think they are necessary. I did add a half a tsp of ground cumin and a half a tsp of garam masala as others had suggested. I used 8 ozs of creminis, 4 ozs oyster, and 4 ozs porcini mushrooms. I thought it was out of this world.
Ekaterina
I used a little more squash and mushrooms, a full can of coconut milk, then added a 5 ounce box of baby spinach at the end, stirring just to wilt the spinach. Delicious.
Carol
the curry leaves that are sold in Indian stores can be frozen.
C.G.
I was thinking of making it with sweet potato cubes and roasting them in the oven 'til soft or nearly soft first, and then adding them at step 5.
Great fall dish!
I made this for a dinner party last night and it was wonderful! I baked the squash first, and I think that was a good idea. I also added zucchini and summer squash, which worked well with the curry. Delicious!
Rich
A bit blander than expected--the flavors had more depth when I heated up leftovers 2 days later, which makes me guess this works better as a "prepare ahead" dish. Goes well with rice noodles. I roasted the squash on parchment paper rather than frying--you're more able to control the fat that way and it's super easy.
Mom
For those of us who use no garlic or onion: add an inch of minced ginger to the masala step. Delicious, but instructions are a bit off. Makes no more than 4 servings. Double squash. Pre-roast squash for 10 min at 400 to ensure it will be fully cooked, then saute. Mushrooms need more than 5 min to soften. Use 1/4 tsp cayenne at least. Ground cumin is fine. Full can coconut milk. Add 1 crushed preserved lime when returning squash to pan. Loosen curry with water if needed before serving.
Karen
More sheer genius. Suits my steady move to 80% vegetarian diet. Have nearly all Madhur's books and use them often. Most ingredients were in my kitchen except for mushrooms, which a short drive to the markets has sorted. Am in the final stage of cooking this curry and it smells fabulous. I know, it is spring in Australia, but the most amazing range of mushrooms are available at the markets so I bought them.
mae
Used light coconut milk, a dried smoked jalapeño & curry leaves (from East Asian market) & it's so good I'm standing here eating 2 out of the 4-6 servings!
PDXInd
Some Indian dishes do make liberal use of butter/ghee when richness is needed. Depending on the region, most Indian dishes are braised and stir-fried with spices tempered in coconut/peanut/sesame/mustard/other vegetable oil.
jmee
Like so many things in life, this dish gets better with age. I greatly enjoyed the leftovers two days later while finding the "day of" version a bit bland. I roasted the squash in the oven, added a bit extra cumin and served over basmati rice with some naan on the side. Will definitely repeat this, but perhaps make it early in the day and reheat when it's time for dinner.
Melissa
Doubled the spices and garlic and used one cup of coconut milk. Let it simmer on low for 20 min. Was absolutely delicious!
Elle Dee
A bit time-consuming and complicated but really delicious. Before taking the eggplant out of the pan, I tossed a small amount of water to deglaze and loosen the eggplant. Seem to work well, and I think enhanced the flavor and texture.
Grace
Lovely vegetarian dish, but it was different than imagined (and pictured). Light, distinct flavors. Vegetables are coated with sauce, not swimming. I wanted more heat so would cut my jalapeno in half next time. This would not be the same dish without curry leaves or coconut milk.
Wendy
I think that there is a mistake in the cooking time for the squash. I followed this recipe but unless you like raw winter squash you will need to simmer the recipe for about 20-30 minutes for the squash to cook through.
Robert A.
Substitutes for the squash--someone suggested sweet potatoes, or maybe carrot chunks--would be welcome, since preparing a butternut squash is murder on your hands. I agree with other reviewers: yes, you can skip the curry leaves, but it's better with them!
Anjali
This is really good IF you make it in a pressure cooker (eg. Instant Pot). I have no idea what black magic the recipe writers used to cook the butternut squash through in 10 minutes; I have no such powers. Just replace the simmer in Step 5 with 3 minutes at high pressure and you won't be stressed about undercooked squash.
Sara
Delectable!! Next time, will pre-bake squash, add a bit more cayenne. So yummy.
Jody
Made as written but took the advice of a commenter & increased the sauteing time of the squash. 2 mins to each side isn't enough. I probably sauteed for 3-4 mins each side & the squash was a perfect, firm texture at the end & not mushy at all. I did also add the full can of coconut milk which was perfect. Served with Jasmine rice. Delicious! Going forward, I can see this with shredded chicken.
Suzie
Very quick-to-make, yummy & hearty dinner--perfect for a chilly evening. I roasted 20 ounces of pre-cubed squash for about 15 min at 400 rather than sautéing. I forgot to buy mushrooms, so I added a small bag of spinach and a can of garbanzo beans after putting the roasted squash and the coconut milk into the pot. I doubled the spices and used 1 can of full-fat coconut milk and 1/4 can of lite coconut milk.
J. Shellman
Did not stray too far from the ingredients as listed in the recipe. Used of a full can of coconut milk. Seeded and diced two serrano peppers, using Kashmiri chili powder instead of cayenne. Wanted to add chickpeas but the only thing we had on hand was black beans so used those. Was concerned about the black beans yet found this dish to be surprisingly good. Lime and curry leaves are a must. Will definitely make this again. Still open to trying chickpeas.
Sarah — Indianapolis
I have a bag of dried curry leaves from a local Indian market. How might I use them in place of fresh/frozen? Is it like other dried herbs vs. fresh, use about 1/3?
Robin
Use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil to enhance the flavor, especially if you’re using lite coconut milk. Which is all I had handy.
Bp
So I do a lot of cooking for little ones who are anti-heat. So no peppers or cayenne. I bumped up all the other spices a bit. It was a hit with both small boys.
Heidi
This is fantastic and vegan but doesn’t appear in my vegan search.
january 16
add more coconut milk
Lee P
What do you do with the jalapenos at the end? They are bigger than anything else in the dish.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
