Pumpkin Shrimp Curry with Butternut Squash

This dish turned out awesome. And it was a lot easier to make than I was expecting. The longest part was roasting the butternut squash, so if you're a planner and get that done ahead of time, it will be a breeze to make this curry up. 

And, it's such a great fall dish. It's warm and spicy, perfect for enjoying in a cold house! Iowa weather has been teasing us lately. There have been a few frosts, and a few days where it was in the high 40s. But, those are interspersed with sunshine-y 70 degree days. In November! I don't think I've ever experienced a 70 degree day in November before. And, let me tell you, it throws me off. 

Do I make the warm and cozy curry? Or, wait for an actually cold day?

Well, turns out, I had a bit of pumpkin left over (remember the pumpkin soup in a pumpkin, anyone?). So, I'm making curry! This is a great way to use up left over pumpkin. It makes the curry thick, and creamy. Of course, you can use canned pumpkin as well, for a shortcut if you don't have extra roasted pumpkin hanging around.

When I first started simmering this, I thought it looked a little off-color. Not as vibrant as I was expecting. Then I realized, I forgot to add the curry powder. That will make a difference! Don't forget the curry powder!

The left over pumpkin pureed surprisingly well! I was expecting a grainier texture, maybe with a few strings too. But, it came out perfectly smooth. Just like from a can!

The final key to making this curry taste awesome? The garnishes! That's some lime zest, there.

And some browned shallots here. (But, to be honest, I don't think it needs the browned shallots at all. I thought the lime zest was much more flavorful). Alternatively, I think some cashews on top would taste great too.

Pumpkin Shrimp Curry with Butternut Squash
Adapted from Bon Appetit


2 TBSP olive oil
1 c chopped onion
1 TBSP minced ginger
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 plum tomato, chopped
1 1/2 c pureed, roasted pumpkin, or 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (careful not to use pumpkin pie filling)
2 c vegetable broth
1 c lite, unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
1 c butternut squash, roasted and diced
1 lb frozen shrimp, tails removed
Juice of 1 lime
Brown rice
Lime zest
Fried shallots (optional)

Start by getting your brown rice cooking (1 cup brown rice to 2 cups boiling water. Cover. Simmer.) and your butternut squash roasting (400 degrees, for about 30 minutes. I cubed the squash first).

While the brown rice is cooking and the squash is roasting, heat oil in large frying pan. Add onion and ginger and cook briefly. Add garlic, continue to cook until fragrant. Add tomato and pumpkin puree and stir. Cook, stirring frequently until pumpkin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. (Note: I think I cheated on this step and didn't really cook the pumpkin that much).

Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, curry powder (don't forget this!) and cayenne pepper. Simmer, about 20 minutes.

While this is simmering, defrost the frozen shrimp under warm water.

Add squash, shrimp, and lime juice. Continue to simmer until everything is heated through.

Serve over brown rice and garnish with plenty of lime zest and fried shallots, if desired.

Thai Curry Stir-fry with Quinoa

This is probably one of my favorite meals.  And, it's packed with nutritional benefits too! Fresh vegetables, whole grains and high fiber. And you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, so it's great for cleaning out the fridge. But, the best part? It's a one-bowl meal. I really like meals where you just need a bowl to eat them. Everything can mix together, and something about it makes it feel warm and cozy. (Maybe because I can wrap my cold hands around the warm bowl?)

Now, there are two ways you can make this. You can either make the curry sauce from scratch, or cheat and use a jarred curry sauce. I cheated. I used Trader Joe's red curry sauce. And, it was awesome.

I always get water going to cook my grain first (whether it's quinoa or brown rice, or whatever). While you're waiting for the water to boil, get the vegetables chopped. I had some help with the chopping in the kitchen!

The other way I cheat when cooking quinoa is to skip the rinse! (For shame, I know). I tried it once, and what a pain! After all those little grains get wet, they stick to everything! They stick to the colander you used to rinse them, they stick to the spoon you had to use to scoop them out, and there are bound to be little quinoa grains haunting your kitchen for days after. So, I skip this step. I know, quinoa supposedly has a bitter soap-like coating on the grain that can make your quinoa taste bitter. But, I haven't noticed a change in taste at all. If I did, I might put up with the pain of rinsing the quinoa. For now, though, I am officially NOT a quinoa rinser.

I do like my quinoa fluffy, though. And here's the trick I use for that. Once all the water is absorbed and the grains are cooked through, remove from heat, put a cotton towel over the pot, and replace the lid. Let the quinoa sit like this until you are ready to serve. I'm not sure why this works. Maybe something about the towel absorbing the steam so the quinoa doesn't get too mushy from just sitting around?

I think this is one of those dinners you can make quickly on a busy weeknight. In the time it takes to cook the quinoa, you can have your veggies chopped and sautéing away and dinner can be ready in about 1/2 hour. Not to bad! Plus you get a bonus hand-warmer from holding the bowl. And, it's pretty tasty too!

Use this recipe as a guide. Use whatever vegetables you have. And, you can vary the amounts depending on how big your pan is, and how many people will be eating.


Thai Curry Stir-Fry with Quinoa


1 c dry quinoa
2 cups water or broth
2-3 cloves garlic
3 small eggplant, chopped into large bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, chopped
3-4 sliced carrots
3 large handfuls spinach
1 can bamboo shoots
1 block extra firm tofu, sliced
1 jar red curry sauce
olive oil

Pour water or broth into medium-sized saucepan and bring to boil. When boiling, add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer and cover for about 15 minutes. After the quinoa is done cooking, remove from heat. Place cotton towel over pan and replace the lid. Let sit until ready to serve.

While waiting for water to boil, begin chopping and slicing all your vegetables. Then, heat some olive oil in a frying pan and briefly fry the tofu on all sides, remove tofu from pan and add garlic, onions, and carrots. Sauté until they begin to soften, then add eggplant and bamboo shoots. Once all the vegetables are softened, add the curry sauce and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes to wilt the spinach.

Then spoon quinoa into a bowl and top with the vegetable curry.