How to make a tasty butterbut, chickpea and spinach curry on a budget 

"This butternut squash, chickpea and spinach curry is one of my favourite meals to make. It’s really yummy with rice or couscous and served with a dollop of yoghurt. It’s also great for making in bulk and putting in the freezer for another time." - Rachel Masters

Serves 4/5

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients

To make this meal, you need:

• Oil

• 1 chopped onion

• 1 pressed garlic clove

• ½ a large butternut squash, chopped up into chunks

• Spices: If you don’t have all these spices use Curry Powder:
• ½ tsp Chilli powder &/OR 1 red chilli pepper
• ½ tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tbsp of fresh ginger (optional)
• ½ tsp Ground cumin
• ½ tsp Ground Turmeric
• ½ tsp Ground cinnamon

• 1 can of chickpea, drained

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes

• 1 Stock cube or 500ml of water

• 200 ml Coconut milk OR Coconut cream OR Milk (optional)

• A handful or two of Spinach (I’m using frozen spinach)

Method

1. Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for around 3-5 minutes or until they are soft and transparent.
2. Add the butternut squash and the spices and fry for a few minutes, until the spices have coated all the vegetable.
3. Add the chickpeas, chopped tomatoes and stock/water (make sure everything is submerged; add more water if needed).
4. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has thickened, around 30- 45 minutes.
5. Turn the heat down and add the spinach and if you are using it add the coconut milk/cream or milk, then simmer for a further few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serving suggestions: rice/couscous/bread (naan/pita)/yoghurt etc.

Tips

If you don’t have all those spices then either:

• get all your flat mates to chip into buying spices together, or

• substitute it for a spice blend of spices

You can leave the skin on the butternut squash. It becomes edible once cooked. Saves time on chopping!

A good substitute for the butternut squash as well as an extra vegetable is sweet potato.

Further information: https://student.sussex.ac.uk/health/food