This is so easy to make and such a delicious hearty vegetarian meal. The cinnamon, spices, chilli and honey give it a real warmth and depth of flavour. It’s perfect served with buttered saffron rice, or even a simple garlic bread will do. Butternut is a favourite vegetable of mine
so I’ve used it here, however you could substitute pumpkin, kumara, or even try using swede.
Ingredients
| 2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
| 1 | Onion, large, diced |
| 2 cloves | Garlic, chopped |
| 1 inch | Ginger, peeled and grated, or cut into fine matchsticks |
| 2 ½ tsp | Cumin seeds, crushed |
| ¾ tsp | Ground cinnamon |
| 2 ½ tsp | Coriander seeds, crushed |
| 1 tsp | Chilli flakes |
| 850 g | Butternut, skin cut off, cut into 3cm (Main) |
| ¼ cup | Dried apricots, chopped |
| 1 can | Crushed tomatoes |
| 2 cups | Vegetable stock, or chicken stock |
| 2 tsp | Runny honey, to taste |
| 1 can | Chickpeas, drained |
| ⅓ cup | Cashew nuts, to garnish |
| ¾ cup | Coriander, chopped, to garnish |
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a large fry pan on medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft (4-5 minutes), then add ginger, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and chilli flakes and continue cooking a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add butternut, dried apricots (if using), stock, tomatoes and honey. Stir and bring to the boil. Lower heat a little and simmer for 15-20 minutes until butternut is soft. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chickpeas and continue cooking a further 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon into a large bowl and top with cashew nuts and coriander. Serve with buttered saffron rice (see below) or garlic bread.
Buttered saffron rice
In a pot (with a fitting lid), combine 2 cups rice with 3 cups water, a good pinch of salt and 10-15 threads saffron. Stir and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, reduce to lowest heat, cover tightly with a lid (if the lid doesn’t fit well, place tinfoil on top first, then lid) and cook for 15 minutes on very low heat (do not lift lid while cooking). Turn off heat and leave to stand (still covered) a further 8 minutes. Fluff up rice granules with a fork and toss through a good knob of butter.
