I’ve got no idea if this is an authentic curry from any location at all other than suburban Australian kitchens, but it is delicious. It’s very slightly adapted from the recipe here, where they say that the fenugreek seeds are optional. I’d argue that the fenugreek is one of the essential flavours here, along with the curry leaves and lime juice. I used silverbeet rather than spinach and it works fine – just chop it well.
Leftovers of this (together with a panch dal) are going to be lunch for me for several days this week. Can’t wait!
oil or ghee
1 heaped teaspoon brown mustard seeds
3 green chillies, deseeded and thinly sliced (or equivalent dried chilli flakes)
12 fresh curry leaves
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2 onions, finely chopped
425 g can tomatoes
200 ml coconut milk
300 ml water
500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2 cm chunks
1 bunch spinach or silverbeet, chopped
1 lime, juiced
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, then add the mustard seeds and cook for a minute, until they start to pop. Add the chillies, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and turmeric, and cook another couple of minutes until they are aromatic. Add the onions and a pinch or two of salt, and cook for 5 minutes, or until they’re soft. Now add the tomatoes (break them up with the spoon if they’re whole), coconut milk, water and pumpkin, and simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is a few minutes away from done. Add the spinach or silverbeet, stir it in, and cook until wilted. Sqeeze in the juice of half the lime. Taste the sauce and add more lime juice if needed.