Recipe: Aromatic Pumpkin and Chickpea Hot Pot

Recipe: Aromatic Pumpkin and Chickpea Hot Pot
Source: Nigella Lawson

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste (available in Asian markets and specialty food stores)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 pounds peeled seeded pumpkin, cut into 1 1/4-inch chunks
2 (15-ounce) cans coconut milk
1 cup homemade or canned chicken or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup loosely packed finely chopped cilantro leaves.

Place a large wide pan over medium heat, and add oil. When hot, add onion and salt, and saut until softened but not browned. Add curry paste, and saut for 1 minute. Add cumin and coriander. Raise heat to medium-high, and add pumpkin. Stir for about 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk, chicken broth and soy sauce. Partly cover with a lid, and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently until pumpkin is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add chickpeas, partly cover, and simmer for 10 minutes more. Stir gently, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. If more heat is desired, add more curry paste. Ladle hot pot into serving bowls, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.