Squash, Pepper & Lemongrass Curry With Rice

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Add your butternut squash cubes to a baking tray (or two!) with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt

Give everything a good mix up and put the tray[s] in the oven for 15-20 min or until tender and golden

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Peel and finely slice your red onion[s]

Boil a kettle

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick, with a matching lid), with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the pepper strips and sliced onion with a large pinch of salt and sugar

Cook for 5 min, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 min or until softened and caramelised

Meanwhile, place your creamed coconut (in its packaging!) in a mug and cover with boiled water (this softens the naturally hard cream)

Peel your ginger (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and your garlic, then finely chop (or grate) both

Bash your lemongrass with a rolling pin, cut it down the middle lengthways, remove the tough outer layers (save for later!) and chop the soft inner core[s] finely

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and the outer lemongrass layers and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving – this is your lemongrass rice

Add the chopped ginger, chopped garlic, chopped lemongrass, curry powder to the pan with the onion and cook for 2 min

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Add 200ml [300ml] [400ml] boiled water, the softened creamed coconut and your vegetable stock mix to the pan along with your sweet pea pods

Mix well and cook, covered for a further 5 min or until the sauce has thickened and the sweet pea pods are tender

Once thickened, add the roasted butternut squash cubes to the pan – this is your squash, pepper & lemongrass curry