Crisply fry half the onion in the heated oil, remove and reserve for garnishing. Gently fry the other half until softened. Stir in the garlic, ginger and spices. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the vegetables, stock, chilli, curry and a little salt. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Discard the chilli and add the sugar and lime juice to taste.
To serve: Sprinkle with fried onion, cashews (if using) and coriander and serve with basmati rice. Pass around garam masala for sprinkling at the table.
Cook’s tips: Instead of the hubbard squash use a 400g mix of ready-diced pumpkin, butternut squash and sweet potato – give it longer in the oven to ensure the vegetables are cooked through. Add substance to the dish by topping it with eggs, deep-fried Chinese-style in hot oil, or hard-boiled and halved. If you like, add cubed cooked chicken or fi sh to the cooked vegetables and heat through.
Per serving: 1 592.7kJ, 5.4g protein, 33g fat, 18.7g carbs

TASTE’s take:

This dish mixes Indian spices with a touch of Thai by way of the addition of sugar and lime to give it a lift.