Curried Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 6 tablespoons Jamaican or Madras curry powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups large diced pumpkin
• 1 (12.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 chayote, peeled, and roughly chopped
• 2 cups large dice Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• Vegetable stock, to cover
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• Cheryl's Hot Sauce, to taste, recipe follows

Directions

Heat a large braising pot over high heat. Add the oil and the onions, and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add the red peppers and saute 2 minutes more.

Then, add curry powder, and saute until fragrant. Add the garlic, ginger, a little salt and pepper to the saute.

Add the pumpkins, chickpeas, chayote, potatoes, carrots, thyme, and scallions, and stir the saute for about 6 minutes. Add enough vegetable stock to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer, and then add the cauliflower and cover the pot.

Simmer for about 35 minutes. Then add Cheryl's Hot Sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes more.

Cheryl's Hot Sauce:

• 10 whole Scotch bonnet peppers, rinsed and stems removed
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 10 whole pimento seeds

To a blender, add peppers and 1 cup of vinegar and puree. Add remaining vinegar, if needed. Stir in pimento seeds. Store in a bottle or jar in refrigerator.

Yield: 2 cups