Red kuri squash colombo

Name: Red kuri squash colombo
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French Caribbean
Ingredients: 1 red kuri squash (about 1 kg), cubed with the skin on; 1 aubergine, cubed; 250 g button mushrooms, sliced; 2 onions, sliced; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 tbsp colombo powder (or curry powder); 1 tsp sweet paprika; 3 tbsp oil; 200 ml single cream (or coconut cream for a vegan version); 250 ml water; Juice of half a lemon; Chopped flat-leaf parsley; Salt and pepper

Local name: Colombo

The Caribbean curry in a mellow autumn version, red kuri squash, aubergine and mushrooms simmered in a creamy colombo sauce.

Published on 14 October 2025

Gluten-free#squash#colombo#aubergine#mushrooms#stew

Photo: Upendra Kanda , CC BY 2.0

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 65 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Soften the onions and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add the colombo and paprika and stir for 1 minute so the spices toast and flavour the oil.
Add the squash, aubergine and mushrooms. Stir well to coat in the spiced oil.
Pour in water to come halfway up, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the cream, season, and cook uncovered for 15 more minutes until the squash is tender.
Off the heat, add the lemon juice and scatter with parsley. Serve with rice, or bulgur if you are not avoiding gluten.

Colombo powder is a Caribbean blend close to curry powder, with toasted rice, turmeric, coriander and cumin. Red kuri squash is cooked with its skin, which turns soft.

The techniques this recipe uses

Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 392 kcal
Protein: 7.5 g
Fat: 29.2 g
Carbohydrate: 31.8 g
Fibre: 5.6 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is colombo powder?

It is a Caribbean spice blend that includes toasted rice along with turmeric, coriander and cumin. The toasted rice gives it a lightly roasted background that ordinary curry powder lacks. A mild curry powder will do, with a slightly less rounded flavour.

Do I need to peel the squash?

No, red kuri skin turns tender as it simmers and helps the cubes hold their shape in the sauce. Just scrub it well before cutting. A thicker-skinned squash such as butternut does need peeling.

How do I make a good vegan version?

Use coconut cream in place of the dairy cream, as the ingredient list suggests. It is sweeter and more aromatic, which makes the squeeze of lemon off the heat essential to bring the sauce back into balance.

The aubergine, one vegetable and ten kitchens
How the aubergine travelled from India to the Mediterranean, what each kitchen made of it, and the techniques that decide the result.

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