01
Peel, de-seed, and dice the butternut squash into chunks of about 1.5cm cubed. Larger chunks are fine, although you'll need to add extra baking time.
02
Place the squash onto a baking tray and pop into an oven heated to gas mark 7 (220°C).
03
Bake until you can pierce a fork through the chunks. This may take 30 - 45 minutes.
04
Place the lime leaves and 350ml of water into a medium sized pan and bring to the boil. (Note: Count the lime leaves as you put them in and remember how many you used because you will have to remove them at the end of the cooking period. They are meant for flavour, rather than eating).
05
Take the seeds out of the cardamom pods and crush with a pestle and mortar (or alternatively chop repeatedly over and over with a sharp heavy knife until they look ground). Toss them into the pan.
06
Peel and grate a heaped teaspoon worth of fresh ginger. Toss it into the pan.
07
Peel and crush 4 large garlic cloves and add to the pan.
08
Add the sea salt, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, passata, creamed coconut and chickpeas to the pan, stir together and allow all of the flavours to infuse. Let this simmer on the lowest heat for about 20 minutes and turn off the heat.
09
Once the squash has baked, take the lime leaves out of your other pan. When you are happy that all of the lime leaves are out, then roughly chop the spinach and mix in the curry pan along with the roasted squash.
10
Add a little extra water if the sauce is too thick.
11
Use the basil to garnish.
12
Serve with rice, quinoa or millet or on its own as a stew.
