Balinese Pumpkin Curry (Kare Waluh) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons coconut oil
250 g pumpkin, chopped into 2-3cm cubes
1 bay leaf (or 3 salam leaves)
3 fresh lime leaves (or zest of 1 lime)
2 lemongrass, knotted
355 ml water
120 ml coconut milk
1 tablespoon fried shallots
3 garlic cloves
1 chili, red, long, seeded and chopped
1 large tomatoes, chopped
1 lemongrass, stalk, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons galangal, chopped (this is a type of ginger available from Ocado)
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons ginger, chopped
3 macadamias, almonds or 3 brazil nuts
3 teaspoons palm sugar, grated (or maple syrup)
2 teaspoons coriander seeds (cilantro)

Preparation

Start by making the spice paste. In Indonesian cooking this is done using a mortar, but an easier and quicker alternative is to use the food processor. Blitz all the ingredients until well combined into a golden yellow paste flecked with chilli and tomato skin.
Heat the coconut oil in a wok over a medium heat and fry the spice paste for 30 seconds. Add the salam leaves (or bay leaf), lemongrass and lime leaves (or zest) and toss for 30 seconds.
Add the chopped pumpkin to the wok and fry for 1 minute, then add the water and simmer until the pumpkin has softened and cooked.
Add the coconut milk and fried shallots and gently simmer for 1 minute, until slightly thickened then serve with steamed rice.