Delicata Squash, Curry Leaf & Toasted Coconut Curry with Ronith Victor Arlikatti, Hopper Joint

'Delicata Squash pairs perfectly with a white curry base like this one, heavy on aromatics just like curry leaf. This squash lends its creamy texture to the sauce, adding body,' says Ronith.


At Hopper Joint he takes family recipes and then emphasises peak season produce. Delicata is the ideal winter squash variety for this dish as its flavour stands up to the aromatic base and its firm flesh and edible skin allow it to hold shape even after oven roasting.

We source our Delicata Squash from Mikey and Lauren and their farming mentor Tony in Penna, Tasmania. Tony was one of the first to grow Delicata in Australia over 20 years ago, where they now thrive in the cool climate of southern Tasmanian. After proper maturation in the field, the crop is harvested and cured for an additional four weeks, concentrating sugars, flavour and allowing for the large harvest to be stored for months.

Ronith’s kitchen tip - In the restaurant, we save all the offcuts from the squash, blanch them until soft and blend them into a puree. We stir this puree into the curry to bring even more creaminess. The sweet flavour of the squash also works super well with the sweetness of the coconut milk.

Curry Leaf roasted Felds Farm Delicata Squash, in an aromatic White Curry

Ingredients

For the white curry:

20g Curry Leaves
700g Onion Red, thinly sliced
15g Pandan Leaves, roughly chopped
100gm Garlic, thinly sliced
15g Green Chillies, sliced lengthwise
50gm Raw Curry Powder (Sri Lankan)
30gm Turmeric powder
90gm Salt
10gm Ceylon Cinnamon
5ltr Water
2ltr Coconut milk
10gm Fenugreek Seeds
50gm Desiccated coconut

For the delicata squash:

2kg Delicata Squash
100g Curry Leaves, toasted and blitzed
20gm Salt
50gm Oil

Method

For the squash

1. Toast 100g curry leaves on the stove until completely dry, or dehydrate in the microwave.
2. Blend to fine powder and set aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 160 Degrees C.
4. Clean the squash by taking the top and tail off, and splitting it in half lengthways. If there are any blemishes on the skin, be sure to remove them as they are woody and hard to eat.
5. Remove all the seeds with a spoon and cut the halves into semi circles.
6. Once the squash is processed, season with the curry leaf powder, salt and oil. Place on a baking tray with baking paper and Roast in a preheated oven @ 160 Degrees C. for 10 mins.
   
   

For the desiccated coconut

1. Put the coconut into a dry pan on medium heat
2. Toast the coconut until deeply golden brown, moving it constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn
3. Once toasted, set aside while you make the curry
   
   

For the curry base

1. Place all the ingredients in a pot and cover with water.
2. Cook on low flame until the base is aromatic.
3. Reduce liquid by half.
4. Add coconut milk and reduce sauce consistency.

Assemble

Add the roasted squash to the curry base and garnish with the toasted desiccated coconut. At Hopper Joint this is served as a set with Sri Lanka’s famous street food, hoppers, but at home make this your own by topping seasonal vegetables, braised meat or your favourite grain dish.