Thai Red Curry with Kabocha Squash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil on a foil lined sheet tray. Slice kabocha squash, remove seeds, and place the squash cut-side down on the sheet tray. Roast squash halves for about 30 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

In a large pot or deep pan, heat the canola oil over medium high heat. Add the curry paste and mash it into the hot oil so all the paste gets incorporated. Then, slowly drizzle in the coconut milk, whisking continuously until all milk has been added and no curry “clumps” remain.

Add water, torn kaffir lime leaves, thai basil, fish sauce, brown sugar and thai red chilies and bring to a simmer. Add red bell peppers and green bean halves and continue simmering sauce for about 15 minutes until vegetables are just cooked but not mushy.

Peel or slice the roasted kabocha squash, cutting the flesh away from peel. Chop the flesh into large chunks and add it along with the tofu to the curry sauce and heat through.

Serve curry over jasmine rice (don’t eat the chilies!).