Easy Marrow Curry

This easy marrow curry turns an abundant harvest into a comforting, flavour-packed meal. Briefly boiling the marrow starts the softening process; it is then cooked with whole seeds, onion, garlic and spices before being smashed into a thick, rustic sauce. Serves four.

Ingredients

• 800 g marrow, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• Salt and black pepper
• A splash of water, if needed
• A handful of fresh coriander, optional
• Cooked rice or flatbreads, to serve

Method

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the prepared marrow and boil for 7 minutes.
2. Drain the marrow thoroughly and set it aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard and cumin seeds and fry until they begin to pop.
4. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently until soft.
5. Add the drained marrow, turmeric, curry powder and ground coriander. Stir well so the marrow is coated in the spices.
6. Cook gently, stirring regularly, until the marrow becomes very soft. Add a splash of water if it starts to catch.
7. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to smash the marrow in the pan, creating a thick, textured sauce.
8. Season with salt and black pepper. Scatter over fresh coriander, if using, and serve with rice or flatbreads.

Grower’s Notes

Drain the boiled marrow very well so the curry does not become watery. Keep cooking until the pieces collapse easily, then smash them as smoothly or as roughly as you prefer. If the mixture catches before the marrow is soft enough, add only a small splash of water. Leftovers can be cooled promptly and kept refrigerated for up to two days.