This Thai Pumpkin Red Curry recipe comes from Chang Thai Café in Littleton, New Hampshire and chef-owner Emshika Alberini. Weekends with Yankee host Amy Traverso visited the café in Littleton, New Hampshire on Season Eight, Episode Eight (“Indulging in New England.”)
If you don’t have access to a market with a decent selection of Thai ingredients, you may need to go online to source three key ingredients: red curry paste, fish sauce, and makrut (kaffir) lime leaves (feel free to use dried lime leaves instead of fresh). The recipe also calls for Thai basil, but you can substitute the more common sweet Italian basil. And vegans can make the dish without chicken — just add tofu or an extra pound of squash.
We recommend using Thai fish sauce, such as Squid brand. For red curry paste, use Maesri brand. For coconut milk, you’ll get the creamiest results if you use the full-fat version, but you can certainly use the reduced-fat type.
Serves: 6 to 8
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 cups coconut milk
- ½ medium peeled and seeded kabocha squash, sugar pumpkin, or butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 makrut lime leaves (sometimes known as kaffir lime), torn
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
- 1 sliced serrano, jalapeno, or other chili pepper (optional)
- ½ cup chopped Thai basil or sweet Italian basil
TO PREPARE
1. Warm the oil in a 4- or 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the red curry paste, stir, and let it cook for a minute, then whisk in the coconut milk.
2. Add the squash, chicken, lime leaves, fish sauce, brown sugar, and salt and cook until the squash is tender and chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Serve the curry over cooked rice and sprinkle with chili (if using) and basil. Serve hot.
