Thursday, October 15, 2009

To Warm the Cockles of Your Heart...

I just got news that snow is falling just a few hours west of me in Central Pennsylvania.  We are getting saturated with a miserable, cold, grey rain in my neck of the woods, and my poor chickens are shaking the water from their feathers and hiding beneath their coop.  Today is the perfect kind of day to stay home, read a book, and cook up something for dinner that will warm you down to your toes.

It has only been in recent years that I've developed a taste for "hot" or "spicy" foods.  Having grown up in a house with a father from Texas, the only "spice" I knew was Frank's Red Hot Sauce on tacos.  Since making the choice to eat a pescatarian diet, however, my palette has expanded exponentially, and I've come to enjoy foods that make me break out into a sweat.  This colorful vegan dish will clear out your sinuses and fill your home with a most delicious fragrance.

Spicy Squash Coconut Curry

Heat 3 tbsp of oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.  Add 1tbsp of minced fresh ginger, 1tbsp of minced fresh garlic (or more, to your taste), 1tbsp (or more!) of hot pepper paste, 2tbsp of good curry powder, 1tsp of cinnamon, and a bit of salt and black pepper.  Cook until the garlic and ginger soften, about 5 minutes.  Add 1.5lbs of cubed butternut squash, toss to coat with the spice mixture.  Add 1c of coconut milk and 1/4c of vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally.  Raise the heat to medium, and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.  Serve over basmati and wild rice.

If you want to keep the theme of spicy sweetness through dessert, try making some hot cocoa with a bit of cayenne pepper.  The best I've tried is Hershey's Cacao Reserve Mayan style hot chocolate, made with whole cow's milk.  Yum!!!

1 comment:

Bláithín said...

This sounds so yummy! I've got loads of squash from my garden now, plus I just got a 5 lb. bag of dried coconut milk...I might have to make this soon! The hot chocolate sounds phenomenal too!