This baby came on Valentine’s Day with much jesting that she could never top this Valentine gift to her husband!  This mama birthed her baby supported by her mother and sister who have been studying midwifery.  It was sweet to see these women work together through out the labor and birth; and sweeter yet to see this mama’s glowing smile everytime I have come to check on them!

Pumpkin Curry

I decided to start with something easy for my first post.  A recipe. 

I haven’t done much cooking the last year because I was working at a birth center in Eugene and working toward meeting the requirements to apply to take the NARM exam.  I took the exam last week and am finding that I have more interest in cooking again.  A lot of people don’t know this, but I like going to restaurants and then trying to recreate what we ate at home.  I think I do a pretty good job of it too.  Well, this was something I had at a Thai Restaurant one day when we all went out for lunch.  I never would have tried this on my own, but Anita ordered it and I tried hers.  Have you ever had something that ”calls”you?  Well this one “calls” me every few weeks, but now I’m not in Eugene and I’m not working any more so with the help of the internet and some tweeking I think I’ve come very close!  

I made this with chicken but the origional recipe I found on the internet didn’t have it.  The restaurant that I ate this at offered any protein choice (tofu, chicken, beef, pork). Enjoy!

Pumpkin Curry

SERVES 2 -4

Ingredients

1-2 chicken breasts, sliced thinly (optional)

1 1/2 lbs pumpkin, pealed and cut into cubes

1 large onion, sliced

6 button mushrooms, sliced

2-3 cups broccoli (or bok choi or other greens of your choice)

5-10 fresh basil leaves

2 green chilies, finely sliced

1-2 red chilies, finely sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic granules)

300-400 ml coconut milk

1 cup water

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 inch ginger, grated (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

1-2 T lime juice (optional)

butter (for frying)

Directions:

1  Cook chicken in large frying pan until done. Remove from pan and set aside.

2 In frying pan, heat a bit of butter in it.

3 Put the pumpkin cubes, mushrooms and onions into the pan and sauté for a few minutes until the onions start to soften.

4 Add the chillis, garlic, ginger, spices, water and coconut milk to the pumpkin.  Then bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer. Put broccoli on top of mixture and cover. Cook until the pumpkin is tender but not overcooked (about 20-30minutes).

5 Depending on how large your cubes of pumpkin are, you may need to add more water, 1/2 cup at a time, to keep the pan from getting too dry.

6 When the pumpkin is cooked and the sauce is thick, stir in cooked chicken, take off the heat and let sit for two minutes.

7 Add a bit of salt, if desired.

8 Serve over plain white (or brown rice).

Origional recipe sugests “accompanied with pappadums and lime pickle. You may also like a handful of raisins in the curry, or on the side to help counterbalance the heat!”