Pumpkin Curry with Shrimp- Cari Bi Ro voi Tom

Make 2-4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 shallot or 1/4 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 lb sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 1-in cubes
• 1 medium red jam or sweet potato about 1 lb, cut into 1-in cubes
• 2 cups milk, chicken stock, or vegetable stock
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Tbs fish sauce or more to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 red hot thai chili, seeded and thinly sliced (omit if no spicy preferred)
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• Steamed rice, bread to serve
• Cilantro or basil leaves 

Preparation

1. Heat  oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger; saute until fragrant. 
2. Stir in jam, pumpkin, curry powder, and salt, sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until pumpkin and jam is slight golden brown, about 10 minutes. 
3. Add  broth, coconut milk and hot pepper.  Bring back to a boil then lower the heat to medium low, simmer for 10-15 minutes until pumpkin and jam soft. Add  shrimp, fish sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cook about 2 more minutes until shrimp cooked. Sprinkle with cilantro or basil leaves.
4. Serve with steamed rice, bread.  

Note: I use pink shrimps from Key west, USA.  Fred Meyer carries them. I think it tastes better to other brands at our local markets.  The raw ones look lightly pink but it will turn more pink and opaque when cooked.

Notes:
   You can use different squash like hubbard, butter nut, acorn.
   If you like more spicy, chili flavor, add chili at the same time with jam and pumpkin. Stir-frying enhanced chili flavor.
   I use madras curry powder for this dish.  It comes with different sizes and the flavor lasts for a long time in air tight container.s