Jack O’Lantern Curry with Pumpkin Barmbrack

Difficulty:
1/5

Ease of Recipe: Easy

Serves: 4-6, as an appetizer

Jack O’Lantern Curry with Pumpkin Barmbrack

This spooky curry will leave you howling for more! A rich, heartwarming mix of pumpkin and potato, heady with spices and the sweetness of coconut milk is expertly matched with Irish Halloween quick bread, barmbrack.

Ingredients:

Jack O’Lantern Curry:

  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) chili flake
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) madras curry powder
  • 3 cups (710 ml) canned pumpkin puree (or 5 cups/1.2 L cubed fresh pumpkin)
  • 2 cups (470 ml) peeled and cubed potato (starchy, such as Russet)
  • 5 cups (1.2 L) light vegetable broth
  • 1 small can (16 ounce/470 ml) coconut milk, plus more to garnish
  • Salt

Pumpkin Barmbrack

  • 1 cup (240 ml) brewed Chai-spiced tea
  • 2 cups (470 ml) raisins
  • 1 cup (240 ml) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 lemon, zest
  • 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) sifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) ground cinnamon, plus more to garnish
  • 1/8 teaspoon (.75 ml) salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups (470 ml) grated fresh pumpkin (or other winter squash such as butternut or kabocha)
  • Butter, to serve

 

Method:

For the Jack O’Lantern Curry:

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium soup pot over medium high heat.

Add the cumin, mustard and chili flakes and sizzle 1 minute.

Add the onion, garlic, and curry powder and season with salt. Sweat all, stirring, until onions are beginning to soften, about 2-3 minutes.

Increase the heat and add the pumpkin puree, cubed potato, veg stock, coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until the pumpkin and potato are soft, about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and blend, in batches if needed, until completely smooth. Season with salt.

For the Pumpkin Barmbrack:

Brew the tea and, while boiling hot, pour over the raisins, sugar, and the lemon zest. Set aside to steep and leave until completely cool (up to overnight).

Preheat the oven to 350 F (275 C) and prepare a 9-inch (23 cm) loaf pan with pan spray.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, and sift well.

Add to the tea-raisin mixture, add the eggs and grated pumpkin, combine and beat together until just smooth.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake 70-90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

To Serve:

Slice the Barmbrack and toast lightly, top with butter.

Ladle out bowls of the hot soup and garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk and freshly cracked black pepper.

Immediately serve the Barmbrack and soup side by side.