Pumpkin Katsu Curry with Coconut Rice
Questa ricetta è disponibile anche in italiano
We love this pumpkin katsu curry with coconut rice – it’s a delicious and moreish dish with some amazing flavors that we absolutely adore.
How To Make Pumpkin Katsu Curry with Coconut Rice
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First of all, we should start off by preparing coconut rice. Begin by rinsing the rice in water until the water itself runs clear. Drain the rice fully, and then soak it in water for fifteen minutes. Drain it once more, and then add it to a pot with coconut milk, water, salt, and a kaffir lime leaf. Bring everything up to a boil, and then give it just one stir to ensure that everything is well mixed. Cover the pot with the lid, and then set it on low heat and cook for fifteen minutes. Turn the heat off, and then give the rice another ten minutes.
For the katsu pumpkin, we’ve got a few steps to take care of. Coat the pumpkin slices in the flour first, and then in the milk, and finally coat them well in the panko bread. Together, these flavors result in some good layers of crunchiness.
Place the prepared slices into a well-oiled air fryer basket or oven rack, and spray the tops of them with some vegetable oil. Cook the slices in the air fryer at 180˚C/355˚F for twenty minutes, remembering to flip the slices halfway through. Alternatively, you can bake the slices for thirty to thirty-five minutes at the same temperature in a pre-heated oven – or until they’re fork-tender. Your final option is to deep fry the slices in abundant vegetable oil for four to five minutes per side, or until golden brown and fork-tender.
For the curry, we can start off by preparing a wok or large saucepan. Add the oil and heat over medium-high before adding the onion and carrot. Fry the mixture until the onion turns soft and translucent – this should take five to seven minutes.
Next up, add the garlic and ginger before frying for another minute. Then, sprinkle in the flour, curry powder, and turmeric. Stir everything well to combine, and make sure that you break up any lumps of flour that form with your spoon.
Add the sugar and soy sauce, and then start to add the vegetable stock a little at a time. Make sure to add the vegetable stock a little bit at a time, stirring constantly. That’s how you avoid making any form of floury lumps in your final dish.
Blend the sauce until it’s creamy smooth, and then put it back on the heat for another five minutes. At this point, it should start thickening up. For an extra smooth texture, you can pass the sauce through a sieve, and the end result will be a delightfully smooth sauce.
Add up to one hundred and fifty grams of full-fat coconut milk until you reach the taste and consistency you like. Then, squeeze as much lime juice as you like into the curry. Alternatively, you can serve the curry without the lime juice, but with little wedges – that way people can add whatever they might like.
Place the sauce on the stovetop, and heat it gently until it’s hot. Next, serve the katsu pumpkin while it’s hot, and top it with the curry sauce with coconut curry on the side.
Pumpkin Katsu Curry with Coconut Rice
Ingredients:
…for the pumpkin katsu…
6 slices Butternut Squash (1 cm thick, skin on or off according to your own preference)
½ cup Plant Milk
½ cup Flour
½ cup Panko Bread
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
…for the curry…
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Onion (large, finely chopped)
4-5 Garlic Cloves (roughly chopped, or 1 tbsp paste)
1 inch Ginger (roughly chopped, or 3 tsp Paste)
1 Carrot (roughly chopped)
2 tbsp Flour
2 tbsp Curry Powder (mild)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
350 g Vegetable Stock (or Water)
150 g* Coconut Milk (full fat)
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
Salt
1 Lime
…for the coconut rice…
180 g Jasmine Rice (rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes)
200 g Coconut Milk (full fat)
80 g Water
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Kaffir Lime Leaf (optional)
Method:
1. Start prepping the coconut rice by rinsing it in water until the water runs clear. Drain rice and soak in water for 15 minutes. Drain the rice and add it to a pot with: coconut milk, water, salt and kaffir lime leaf (if using). Bring it to a boil, give it just one stir, cover with the lid, set on low heat and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it for another 10 minutes.
2. For the katsu pumpkin. Coat the pumpkin slices in the flour first, then in the milk and finally coat them well in the panko bread.
3. Place into a well oiled air fryer basket or oven rack, spray the top with some vegetable oil and cook for 20 minutes in the air fryer at 180°C (355° F), flipping the slices halfway through, or for 30-35 minutes at the same temperature in a pre-heated oven, or until fork tender. Alternatively you can deep fry the slices in abundant vegetable oil for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and fork tender.
4. For the curry. In a wok or large saucepan heat the oil over medium high, then add the chopped onion and carrot and fry until the onion turns soft and translucent (5-7 minutes).
5. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another minute and then sprinkle in the flour, curry powder and turmeric. Stir well to combine and break down any flour lumps that form with your spoon.
6. Add the sugar and soy sauce, then starting pouring the vegetable stock a bit at a time, stirring constantly as you do.
7. Blend the sauce until creamy smooth, then put it back on the heat for another 5 minutes, until it starts thickening up (for an extra smooth texture, you can pass the sauce through a sieve).
8. Add up to 150 g of full fat coconut oil, until you reach the taste and the consistency you like, then squeeze as much as lime juice you like (alternatively you can serve it in wedges so people can use it as much as they like.
9. Return the sauce on the stove and heat until hot.
10. Serve the (hot) katsu pumpkin topped with the curry sauce with coconut curry on the side.
