Mashed Pumpkin and Brinjal Tomato Curry

Mashed Pumpkin and Brinjal Tomato Curry

 
This is something that came about when I had to leave on an impromptu trip. It was a family emergency.  After two weeks of playing nurse, I finally flew home.

The first thing I did was head for the refrigerator. There were fruits and vegetables just begging to be cleared! So, I had myself a cook fest. I cracked my knuckles, sifted through a ton of recipes and got down to thinking. Did I find anything in the cook books? ........ No.....but it was a good mental warm-up.

I decided on something mushy that would be heavenly for leftover bread. Mashing pumpkin and brinjal together in a tomato curry gravy seemed like a brilliant plan. Plan? That's not entirely true - both had to go into the pot pronto, or risk being demoted into the bin.

Anyway, it turned out so yummy that I was sad I didn't have more of it. It was sweet and saltish, mildly sour but rich in flavour from the many vegetable ingredients that were included.

This is how I did it. Enjoy!  

Ingredients:
- 2 medium round brinjal aka aubergine or eggplant (remove skin, julienne)
- 1 cup cut pumpkin pieces
- 2 medium tomatoes (cut into pieces)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 1 calamansi
- 1 red chili (sliced)
- 1tbsp blended chili
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (add some water, mix into a wet paste)
- Pinch of belacan paste (shrimp paste)
- 2 star anise
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- About 1 cup water 
- Salt to taste

The Ingredients

How-to:
1) Heat oil in pan. Fry onion and garlic with star anise and cardamom pods.

2) Stir in curried paste and belacan. Fry quickly, add in tomato puree and chili.

3) Then, add in all the vegetable ingredients. Stir until well coated.

4) Add water (just enough to cook all the ingredients through). Squeeze in calamansi juice.

5) Season with salt and cook until all the ingredients are tender.

6) Using your spatula, mash lightly into a thick gravy.

Serve with bread or rice.

Smoking hot in the pot

Yum-Yum Mashed Pumpkin and Brinjal Tomato Curry