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Kabocha Squash Japanese Curry

Japanese curry is iconic - thick, glossy, sweet and richly savoury. I keep Golden Curry cubes in my pantry at all times for a quick meal. But making the curry roux at home is also very simple. Here, I make a gorgeous Japanese curry from scratch with sweet, nutty kabocha squash and spinach.

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A bowl of vegetable curry featuring chunks of squash, leafy greens, and a thick orange sauce served over rice.

Kabocha is a Japanese squash that is sweet, yet nutty, with a vivid orange flesh that is firm to the bite. The skin looks robust but it is deceptively thin and is one of the easiest squash to cut through; the skin is also edible. In Japanese cuisine, it is often simmered in a broth of soy sauce and mirin (the dish is called Kabocha no Nimono) or it is battered and fried for tempura.

No kabocha? Try butternut squash, sweet potato or potato.

Kabocha Squash Japanese Curry

Serves

Ingredients

55 g vegan or dairy butter (salted or unsalted)
50 g gluten free, rice or plain/all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons curry powder, (I like S&B Brand)
3 teaspoons garam masala
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne or chili powder
1 brown/yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1- inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
900 g kabocha (or butternut, honeynut or delicata), seeds discarded and cut into 1-inch pieces
750 ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
Salt and black pepper
175 g spinach, trimmed and roughly chopped (or use baby spinach)
cooked rice to serve

Instructions

Place a large Dutch oven or saucepan on medium heat. Add the butter and when it’s melted, add the flour, whisking constantly until it’s smooth. Continue to whisk until the roux has turned slightly golden in color, about 3 minutes. Add the curry powder, garam masala and cayenne or chili powder and stir to combine, 30 to 60 seconds.
With the heat still on medium, add the onion, ginger and garlic and stir for 2 minutes. Next add the kabocha, vegetable stock, soy sauce or tamari, maple or honey and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Stir, increase heat to medium high and bring to the boil.
Once it’s bubbling, reduce heat to medium low and leave to simmer until the squash is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. When the kabocha is ready, add the spinach, and stir until it is just wilted. Remove from heat immediately.
Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with white rice.