Yellow Curry with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas

Curry is one of my favorite things to make when I am craving something warm and comforting. The rich spices mingling with the sweetness of the coconut milk is just as cozy to me as a warm fuzzy blanket. This is also a great meal to make when you are looking to use up all of your leftover veggies! Here I used potatoes, butternut squash and chickpeas, but the last batch of curry I made contained pumpkin, cauliflower and eggplant. Yum! I highly suggest making your curry paste from scratch over using a jarred version, I have tried both and let me tell you, it is worth every bit of extra time spent to make it fresh. Plus you can make a large batch to keep handy for whenever the curry craving strikes!

Ingredients
For the curry paste:
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
1-2 red chilies, sliced
2 shallots, sliced
1 thumb-size piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp fish sauce
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/3 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 can coconut milk

For the curry:
2 tbsp yellow curry paste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 cup gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 14 oz. can coconut milk
brown sugar and fish sauce, to taste
juice of 1 lime
cilantro, for garnish

Instructions
For the curry paste:
1. Place all ingredients in your food processor or blender. Add more coconut milk as needed to blend ingredients to a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

For the curry:
1. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add curry paste and vegetable oil. Stir fry until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock.
2. Add potatoes, squash, chickpeas and coconut milk and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Adjust curry for sweetness or saltiness by adding brown sugar and/or fish sauce accordingly. Before serving, add lime juice, stirring to combine, and garnish with fresh cilantro.