Kabocha Purée With Ginger Food

KABOCHA PURéE WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Season inside of squash with salt and pepper. Place squash, cut side down, on prepared sheet. Roast until tender, 1-1 1/4 hours. Let cool slightly.
• Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth; set over a small bowl. Pulse ginger in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to prepared strainer. Gather edges of cloth together; squeeze tightly to release ginger juice into bowl.
• Scoop squash flesh into a food processor. Add sugar and 1 tablespoon ginger juice. With machine running, gradually add 1 1/2 cups cream and purée until smooth, adding more cream by tablespoonfuls if too thick. Season with salt, pepper, and more ginger juice, if desired. Gently warm in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until heated through. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Gently rewarm purée in a saucepan, adding a little more cream if necessary.

KABOCHA CURRY

Steps:

• To make kabocha puree: Preheat oven to 375. Halve a kabocha squash and place both sides cut side down in a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with water. Bake for 40 minutes or until the flesh can be easily pierced with a knife. The baking time may need to be adjusted depending on the size of your kabocha. Remove the kabocha from the oven and let cool. Remove and dispose of seeds using a spoon. Scoop out the flesh using a spoon. Use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the flesh, adding water until you have a smooth puree.
• To roast butternut squash: Preheat oven to 450. Remove skin and cut the butternut squash into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until the squash is soft and has just started to caramelize.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil at a high heat in a heavy bottomed pan. Add chicken and cook until sealed. Take chicken out of the pan and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium, add onions and ginger and stir until onion has become translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds more.
• Add chopped tomatoes and kabocha puree to the pan, bring to boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add stock, coconut milk, curry and chili powder. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add chicken and roasted butternut squash and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add cilantro and additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with naan and/or rice.