Pumpkin and white-bean curry

Serves 4

(LISA BARBER)

1 fresh coconut (or 1 tin coconut milk)
1 onion squash (again, Crown Prince or butternut squash is fine)
1 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 inch thumb of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 inch fresh turmeric, peeled and grated
4-5 sweet little tomatoes
1 dried chilli
10 fresh curry leaves
150g/5oz dried white beans, soaked overnight and cooked according to packet instructions

A little sea salt

I prefer to use fresh coconut; it is a little extra work, but its flavour is far more delicate. If you do it this way, look for small, sweet, young coconuts, not the more typical older, harder ones. Remove the outside husk by holding in your hand, rotating it slowly and tapping it gently on the top with a rolling pin until the outer flesh splits and you can gently remove the flesh with your hands. Cut in half down the middle with a sharp knife, catching the water in a bowl as it escapes. Roughly chop the flesh into chunks and place in a blender with a cup or two of warm water. Blend until smooth and strain it into the bowl in which you have poured the coconut milk.

Next, peel and chop the pumpkin into one-inch wedges. Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a medium-sized pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds and let them pop for a bit. Turn the heat down slightly and add the ginger, turmeric, tomatoes and dried chilli. Add the pumpkin and stir a couple of times to coat. Sprinkle over the curry leaves and pour in the coconut milk. Keeping the heat at medium to low, place a lid on the saucepan and cook gently until the pumpkin is tender. Season with salt. Add the cooked white beans and cook gently for a further 5-10 minutes.