Butternut squash and vegetable Malaysian curry

Spicy New Year! After all the festive stodge I like to make something a bit more exotic and spicy to welcome the New Year. This recipe is also a great way of using up any leftover root vegetables. It's also economical because you can snap up veg really cheaply just after Christmas!

You can use any root vegetables for this but firm butternut squash and sweet parsnips are ideal. I always have surplus carrots so they go in too. For flavour either buy a Malaysian curry paste or add powdered spices of your choice to the onion mixture. Really it's up to you - make it mild and savoury or (I recommend) as hot and or spicy as you can bear!

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 3 parsnips
• 2 carrots
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 onion
• Half bulb of garlic
• 1 thumb garlic
• Asian curry paste of your choosing
• Red chilli (optional)

1. Peel and chop the vegetables into appropriate sizes: softer veg in bigger chunks, harder veg in smaller chunks so they cook evenly.
2. Make your curry base by blitzing the onion, garlic, ginger (and chilli if using) into a paste with a glug of oil, until it's a puree.
3. Put a large pan or wok on a gentle heat, and fry the puree for 5-10 minutes. Keep stirring and don't let it burn!
4. Towards the end add curry paste of your choice.
5. Add the vegetables and coat them with the paste.
6. Stir in the coconut milk, top up the can with fresh water and add that too, along with a sprinkling of salt to taste.
7. Cook for 10-15 mins on a gentle simmer until the vegetables are firm but tender. Err on the side of caution as they continue to cook once you take them off the heat. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.
8. Check for seasoning, then serve with rice and garnish with cashew nuts and a sprinkling of chilli or thinly sliced fresh chilli. Fresh coriander adds a hint of green though personally I can't stand it!