Chayote Curry

5 from 2 votes

An easy chayote curry recipe which makes a lovely vegetarian side dish. It's a dry-style curry and gently spiced to allow the squash's delicate flavour to shine. It goes well with all sorts of curries, but pairs particularly well with dhal, rice and a spoonful of chutney or yoghurt.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: curry, squash

Servings: people

Calories: 168kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Equipment

microplane (affiliate link) optional

Ingredients

2 chayote
1 ½ tbsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 onion halved and thinly sliced
2 clove garlic finely grated
thumb size knob root ginger finely grated
1 chilli (optional), green or red, mild or hot - deseeded and thinly sliced
¼ tsp sea or rock salt
½ tsp garam masala
4 tbsp water

Instructions

Start by preparing the chayote as they're slightly fiddly to prepare. Peel the fruit (see notes in main post for how to do this), then half it and remove the central seed.
2 chayote
Cut the flesh into chunks measuring roughly 2 cm (¾ inch).
Over a medium to high heat, warm the oil in a large lidded shallow pan.
1 ½ tbsp sunflower oil
Spoon in the seeds and let them sizzle for thirty seconds or until the mustard seeds start to pop.
1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp black mustard seeds
Add the onion slices and stir briefly. Let them soften for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chilli and salt. Stir.
1 onion, 2 clove garlic, thumb size knob root ginger, 1 chilli, ¼ tsp sea or rock salt
Add the chayote chunks and fry them for ten minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing sticks and all sides have been in contact with the pan.
Sprinkle the garam masala over the top and add the water, then clamp the lid on the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and cook covered for a further ten minutes. Test for doneness. If the texture is to your liking, remove from the heat and serve. If not, cook for a further five to ten minutes, adding a little more water to prevent sticking as necessary. The chayote should be firm rather than mushy but tender - a little like a cooked carrot.
½ tsp garam masala, 4 tbsp water

Notes

Serves 2-4 people as a side dish, depending on what else you're serving.

Finish with a little lemon juice and a sprinkling of chopped coriander leaves (cilantro), if liked.

You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.

Nutrition