Cookin' With Kiz - Pumpkin, Spinach and Black Bean Dopiaza.

Hey All! :)

It's been a while.

Today it's a simple little curry that can add a little twist to any meal as a side dish if you are a carnivore, or if you're a vegetarian or vegan, you can always add additional veggies or lentils or chickpeas to make it a complete meal. :)

So here is the BASE recipe. Depending on your own palate, you can change out the veggies or even add more to your own taste. :)

Ingredients

• 2 onions
  
  , thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander, and curry powder
• pinch chili powder
• 400g pumpkin
  
   (peeled weight), cut into chunks ( so  pound in Imperial measurement)
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g can black bean in water, drained and rinsed ( so a 14OZ can)

• 200g spinach
  
  , washed ( around half a pound)

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Method

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. ( Fahrenheit 350F) Toss half the onions in 1 tbsp oil, then roast for 15-20 mins, until they are crisp and golden.
2. Meanwhile, fry the remaining onion in the oil until lightly golden. Add the garlic and spices; cook for 1 min. Add the pumpkin, stir in the tomato purée and 425ml ( 1 and a half cups) boiling water, then return to the boil. Simmer, covered, for 15 mins, then stir in the beans. Cook for a further 5 mins.
3. Put the spinach in a colander and pour over a kettle of boiling water until it is wilted. Press with a wooden spoon to remove excess water, then roughly chop. Stir into the curry, then warm through. Serve scattered with the crisp roasted onions.

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As I wrote earlier, EVERY base recipe can be made to be your own so if pumpkin is not your thing, then you can use sweet potato or aubergine, carrots, potato... whatever you want to.

You can even make it a nice creamy curry by adding a splash or two of coconut cream or milk and serve it with some saffron rice.

We have had it as a nice side dish, served with some mildly spiced lamb chops or chicken.

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice is always a nice little freshener you can add too, just before serving as well as a sprig of fresh coriander ( cilantro).

Happy eating. :

:)