Leave a Comment
This is not a dish you’d normally see on the menu right before Christmas, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a tasty treat for midweek eats. We were tipped off by a fellow Foodbuzzer that this would be the perfect way to use the random veggie pairing sitting in the pantry–butternut squash and eggplant. We made a few small tweaks, but we think the result is probably along the lines of its predecessor. Maybe even a little better! It’s kitchen discoveries like this that convince us a little creativity can go a long way. Why rush through dinner prep when you can spend a few extra minutes making a great meal?
We went somewhat heavy on the curry scale with this one. You can add a little or a lot based on taste. This is great served over jasmine rice. Try brown jasmine rice if you want to be healthier. We threw that healthy option out the window.
Eggplant and Butternut Squash Chicken Curry – Serves 6 to 8
1 butternut squash, peeled & cubed
1 eggplant, cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound chicken breast, boneless, skinless and cut into 1″ pieces
14 ounces coconut milk
1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons hot chili sauce
Kosher salt
1. Add vegetable oil to a hot pan. Slide in garlic. Once it sizzles, add chicken and cook halfway through, approximately 3-6 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, thoroughly mix coconut milk with fish sauce, hot chili sauce, 1/2 cup water, curry, cardamom, sugar and dried basil. Add to the chicken and garlic.
3. Immediately throw in the butternut squash and eggplant and simmer covered until veggies soften, approximately 7 -10 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir water into cornstarch and pour into curry mixture. Cook another 5-7 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken. Sprinkle with salt to taste before serving.
Click HERE for the printable recipe.
Other recipes you may enjoy...
Don’t Knock It ‘Til You Try It
Redefining Homemade
James’ Test Kitchen
Dinner Before You Know It
Where’s the Beef?
Greetings from Foodista!
Have a Happy and Healthy 2009!
Wow! Now I’m craving Eggplant Butternut Squash Chicken Curry. It’s really good eating for cold winter nights. The photo looks so appealing.
This looks great! I love curry at any time of year. I don’t remember having seen fish sauce and cardamom combined before, but I’ll have to give it a try.
yum, that looks delish! Happy New Year!