3.2/5 rating (1265 votes)

Marrow Curry

Heat Medium
Serves 4
Dietary Info VEGETARIAN VEGAN LACTOSE-FREE DAIRY-FREE HEALTHY LOW-CALORIES LOW-FAT WHEAT-FREE GLUTEN-FREE
Prep 10 mins
Cook 30 mins

A really flavoursome vegetable curry cooked with seasonal marrow and beautifully spiced with cumin and mustard seeds.

Hari says
Fortunately for me I live on a road that has allotments at one end and although I don't have an allotment I do very well out of the produce that comes from it.
I'm always coming home to runner beans wrapped in newspaper left on the doorstep, or a carrier bag bursting with courgettes and even the occasional bunch of gladioli (it paid to tell our local gardener Morris that I love these flowers).
The first year we moved in I was inundated with marrows, which can be a bit of a non-vegetable... I mean, what do you do with a marrow? Stuff it? Bake it? Well — curry it, I say!
Marrows make a really wonderful curry and I like to cook it right down so it's almost like a paté. Something really wonderful happens with the addition of the simplest curry spices. Now every year I end up taking a few marrows to my mum's place, where I know they will be very well received.
something really wonderful can be produced

Ingredients
Method

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
200g tin plum tomatoes
1 tbsp of fresh ginger, grated
1-2 green chillies, chopped
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1 large marrow (approx 1-1.5kg)
1 tsp garam masala
handful fresh coriander

Method

Heat oil and add the cumin and mustard seeds. Once they sizzle and become fragrant add the onions. Fry for about 6-7 minutes until they become translucent and just golden brown.
Add the garlic and cook on a gentle heat for a few minutes. In the meantime, wash and chop the marrow into 3-4cm chunks. If your marrow is an older marrow then you may also need to peel it as the skin can be tough. You may also need to remove the seeds and soft central part of the marrow.
Add the tomatoes to the pan and stir in the grated ginger, chilli powder, turmeric, salt, and green chilli. Stir for a few minutes until the masala in thick and shiny.
Add the chopped marrow and bring the pan to a simmer. Cover, then turn the heat to low and cook for about 20-30 minutes. Do check and stir occasionally.
When the marrow has cooked to the texture you like, remove from the heat and add the garam masala and coriander to serve.

Nutritional information

Typical values*	per Serving
Calories	78
Fat (g)	4
of which saturates (g)	0
Carbohydrates (g)	9
of which sugars (g)	3
Fibre (g)	2
Protein (g)	2
Salt (mg)	824

*Based upon calculated values, supplied by myfitnesspal.com. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated.

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“ Thank you for printing this recipe for my delicious Marrow Curry ”

Comments

Comments (75)

Mike Blood
04 October 2020 at 17:02 | #
Just tried your marrow curry. Easy to make smells amazing when cooking and is a nice alternative to meat or fish for a colourful flavoursome dish
Method & video were helpful so thsnk you
Nice & tasty we love indian food very much
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  27 October 2020 at 19:22 | #
  Hi Mike I love this curry - I do cook it right down so its almost mushy but I love it and i'm glad you do too. Thanks Hari
  reply
Simon
29 September 2020 at 20:52 | #
This was delicious, tasted like a ‘real’ curry. Next time I will add a little tomato paste.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  27 October 2020 at 19:24 | #
  Hey Simon whoop whoop - oh yes it's definitely a real curry. Good to know you liked it! Hari
  reply
Kara Taylor
11 August 2020 at 12:36 | #
I made your curry recipe with a giant courgette that I had grown. I used fresh tomatoes instead of tinned. It was a little bit wet and bland because I didnt have any fresh chillies. As I had alot I bought and added 2 chopped green finger chillies to the left overs and liquidesed and reheated. A delicious thick soup. Lovely texture. Thanks for the recipe.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  21 August 2020 at 19:31 | #
  Hi Kara good to know you liked it - soup sounds fab
  reply
Gerard Wong
18 February 2020 at 08:16 | #
Hi Hari
I tried out your recipe today. ??. Just wanted to share some modifications that I made along the way:
Added pumpkin chunks so that there is some sweetness to the dish and so that it wouldn't just be all marrow.
Also added two tbsps of dhal/lentils to lend a bit more body to the gravy.
And finally, instead of chilli powder, I used two heaped tsps of curry powder instead.
We are it with piping hot naans from the oven. It was a lovely meal. Looking forward to trying out other recipes on your website. Cheers
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  26 March 2020 at 19:36 | #
  Sounds wonderful - thanks so much for sharing that with me - Have you downloaded my free app so you can share pictures of your dishes. Thanks so much Hari
  reply
Sarah
28 December 2019 at 05:11 | #
This is the best vegetable curry I have ever eaten, it was so easy to make as well. My husband went back for seconds, he loved it so much!
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  10 January 2020 at 20:58 | #
  Hi Sarah - now that is impressive. Using veg like this really works with the spices. So glad you and hubby loved it!! What else will you be trying?
  reply
Helen
01 September 2019 at 17:09 | #
Just finished eating this delish curry with the rice, cumin and pea rice.
We all loved it - thank you for sharing the recipe
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  07 September 2019 at 12:33 | #
  Thank you Helen for giving this a go - Glad you enjoyed it. Next time take a picture and share it on my app!
  reply
Christine
20 August 2019 at 20:31 | #
I have kindly been given 2 large marrows from my neighbors and have been searching for things to do with it. I'm glad i come across your recipe, will be trying this tomorrow. Do you think i could add chicken to the dish aswell as the marrow?
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  07 September 2019 at 12:37 | #
  Hi Christine - You can add chicken if you want to but I would make a nice dry chicken dish on the side. Enjoy and let me know if you tried it Post some pictures on my app too https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Thanks Hari
  reply
Matthew shepherd
19 August 2019 at 16:41 | #
Never even tried marrow before so this is a first. I will let you know how it goes. It’s smelling delicious at the moment
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  07 September 2019 at 12:38 | #
  Well how did it go? Post a picture on the app here so I can see it https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Thanks for trying it.
  reply
Susan
16 August 2019 at 18:04 | #
I grew my very first marrow which was ready for harvesting today. I tried your recipe as I liked it that you can use the whole fruit, not have to scoop the middle out and throw it away. I used the marrow straight from the garden, cut it in half and tested the seeds by eating a couple raw before committing to using them - they were fine. I added green lentils to give it a bit of body (handy tip from a previous commentator) I skimped on the spices and garlic, putting about half the recommended amounts for each in, because I didn't want to 'drown' the taste of the marrow. I had it with cous cous. It was really tasty. Thanks so much. I'll definitely use this recipe again.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  07 September 2019 at 12:39 | #
  Hi Susan - sound delicious - did you take a picture? I would love to see your creations please share them with me here on my free app. https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Thanks for leaving such a wonderful comment too. Hari
  reply
Roshin
08 April 2019 at 08:53 | #
this is going to be my first time cooking marrow and I am glad I found an Indian recipe for it. thank you Hari.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  12 April 2019 at 10:51 | #
  Let me know what you think - please do post pictures on the app too Thanks for your comments Hari
  reply
David F
25 September 2018 at 16:00 | #
Hi,

Thanks for the instructions. I have a big marrow and will try on Friday. Could I add diced pork at some point in the recipe, for folk who can't cope without their fresh meat? (I don't want to make a separate curry if I can help it).
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  09 October 2018 at 09:56 | #
  Did you try the marrow curry? One thing you can do is make the masala (with some extra onions) in the same way then separate into 2 pans. In one pan add the pork and some coconut milk like my Keralan pandi dish https://www.harighotra.co.uk/quick-keralan-pandi-recipe and in the second one add the marrow. Two dishes with minimum effort. Hope this helps Hari
  reply
Darren
20 September 2018 at 09:56 | #
How this has scored only 3.5 stars is a mystery to me. It's probably the best curry I've ever cooked, and has become a regular show piece. I couldn't have imagined how good it would taste, as marrow isn't the most inspiring of ingredients, but the way it takes on the flavours of the curry while imparting a silkiness to the sauce, is truly amazing. I do find that 400g tinned tomato is a better fit, but I guess there's a lot of variability in marrow sizes and textures. Anyway, a big thank you for an inspirational recipe and a way out of our glut of marrows.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  20 September 2018 at 14:10 | #
  Hi Darren - High praise indeed, thank you for trying the recipe. I think people miss click on the stars for some reason. So so happy that you enjoyed this dish, marrow is a great veg but people just don't know what to do with it. Please do take a picture next time and post it in the app so I can see your creation. Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Hari
  reply
Cathie
13 September 2018 at 18:22 | #
Thank you for this! I was given a marrow, my first, last week. Clueless I turned to google and came upon your recipe. Fantastic! Both hubby and I found it delicious. Now...to find another marrow :-)
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  20 September 2018 at 13:59 | #
  Hi Cathie Im so pleased to hear you gave this one a try. I think its a fab recipe too especially as most people don't know what to do with a good marrow. I'd love to see pictures next time so please do share your dish photos on the app. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
  reply
RUTH
27 August 2018 at 11:39 | #
Hi!
I'm having a party for about 50 guests! How would I cook this in those quantities? Would I literally just multiply everything by 50?
Ruth
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  28 August 2018 at 10:56 | #
  Hi Ruth - not really which dishes are you looking to do? Usually have to go up proportionally.
  reply
Corinne Cooke
26 August 2018 at 19:13 | #
Hi - I have just made this but had never cooked a marrow before so didn’t realise you have to remove the soft part and seed from the centre. I did remove some of it because I didn’t like the look of it but had quite a lot of seeds to pick out! Please add this instruction to you method. Thanks.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  28 August 2018 at 10:38 | #
  Hi Corinne I don't usually remove the soft parts and like the texture the seeds add. That said if you have a older marrow the seeds may be a bit more tough so I can understand why you would want to take them out. Thank you for the feedback I will add this information. Apart from that I hope you enjoyed the flavours. Thanks so much Hari
  reply
M Whittaker
25 August 2018 at 19:42 | #
Hi Hari
As an allotment holder and curry lover, I was delighted to find your recipe and having just harvested a beautiful marrow, I set to work this evening. In addition to my marrow i have grown some chillies and onions so a lot of fresh veg included. At this point I should explain, I lost my sense taste 7 years ago, after a brain haemorrhage, so smell and texture are very important now. This curry was delish......so pure in ingredients and silken with bites from the mustard seeds and freshness from the coriander. In my second bowl, I confess I added some soy sauce and that transformed it again. Thank you out marrows have a new purpose!
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  28 August 2018 at 10:31 | #
  Hi That is just a wonderful thing to hear. So happy that you were able to enjoy the flavours. It's an amazing vegetable and works so well with spices. Thank you for your feedback and the soy sounds interesting!! Thanks Hari
  reply
Jennifer
15 August 2018 at 12:07 | #
I tried this curry, adding 1 pack of mango chunks (added towards the end of cooking) and a 400g tin of green lentils for protein.
The kids loved it! It's even better kept for a day or two and reheated.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  17 August 2018 at 09:36 | #
  Hi Jennifer - thanks for sharing. Loving your tweaks and i'm so pleased your kids loved it!
  reply
Emily Gammon
10 August 2018 at 08:14 | #
When you used Hari Ghotra marrow in the slow cooker, how long did you cook it for?
Did you cook the sauce separately, or, in the slow cooker?

Chris Sawyer
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  10 August 2018 at 09:37 | #
  Hi Chris You can do it in the masala in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on low. If your marrow is old or seems to have a tough skin peel it first. Let me know how you get on. Thanks Hari
  reply
Emily Gammon
30 August 2017 at 20:16 | #
We were given two VERY large home- grown marrows from some friends and was intrigued when we found this recipe.

We used this method and recipe (without the ginger) and added a few packets of Tilda's Steamed Basmati Coconut, lime & Chilli rice to the mix. We made it in the slow cooker and it was delicious! Lasted as an evening meal for the whole family for a good few days for a very low price! It was nice to try a vegetarian dish for once (as we didn't add any meat).
Although we did find the curry slightly spicy (probably to do with the chillies!), so added a bit of mint yogurt dip on the side. Still as delicious!

After doing a bit of research, I was amazed to read about the many health benefits of using turmeric in foods. I would not have even considered using it had I not seen this recipe- so thank you! I would try this again and am looking forward to seeing your other recipes!

Thank you for such a lovely dinner!
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  01 September 2017 at 08:46 | #
  Hi Emily Thanks so much for leaving your comments. It's wonderful to hear that you enjoyed using the recipe and that you added your own twist too. Yes turmeric has been used in Indian cooking for centuries primarily because of it's help benefits. Please do subscribe to the website so you can be kept up to date with new recipes and information. I have lots of information on the spices used in Indian food here http://www.harighotra.co.uk/cooking-guides/indian-cooking-ingredients/spices if you want to find out more. Thanks again and I look forward to hearing about what else you cook from the website. Hari
  reply
David Poulson
19 August 2017 at 11:57 | #
This was one of the best vegetable curry I have made. My daughter gave me a massive marrow, about 4kilos, so I made double the sauce and I also peeled the outer skin as I thought it might be a bit tough. The sauce is very spicy without being too hot. The slight crunchiness of the mustard seeds enhanced the dish. We ate it with chappatis. Thanks for your recipes, I will be trying others . David.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  20 August 2017 at 09:54 | #
  Hi David How amazing to hear that. It is a fantastic way to use marrow and I am so glad you loved it. Thanks so much for giving it a go. Hari
  reply
Sarah Werrell
18 August 2017 at 14:39 | #
Hi just the recipe I was looking for ! but you didn't say the weight for the marrow. Could you confirm? And what would be weight of flesh once peeled and seeded for the recipe as I have one which has very thick skin! Thanks a million! Sarah
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  18 August 2017 at 15:03 | #
  Hi I would say about 1-1.5kg peeled weight will be fine for this recipe. Let me know how it comes out. Thanks Hari
  reply
Anna
15 August 2017 at 06:13 | #
Hi
I was wondering how long the dish would keep once made and if it could be frozen. It sounds superb and gets very good comments.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  15 August 2017 at 08:12 | #
  Hi Anna It will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge and yes you can freeze it too. Let me know what you think. Thanks Hari
  reply
Mary
11 August 2017 at 14:49 | #
I was given a huge courgette from a friend's allotment weighing 3.35Kg & your recipe was perfect to make a very tasty meal.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  14 August 2017 at 12:01 | #
  Hi Mary Thats perfect I'm so pleased you got to use some yum fresh ingredients from your friends allotment and chose one of my recipes to cook - thanks so much for sharing and i'm so thrilled you enjoyed it too. Thanks Hari
  reply
Pat
06 August 2017 at 11:06 | #
Hi thank you I will try that. I actually used puréed sweet potato with taramind which also worked well :)
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- Hari Ghotra
  07 August 2017 at 16:43 | #
  Would be good to hear what you think Thanks so much for using the recipe though! Hari
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Janine
05 August 2017 at 17:41 | #
I have been given 3 giant marrows by my sister and I'm just cooking the curry and it smells wonderful. I'm going to give the chutney recipe a go too! So glad I found your site and this recipe!
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  07 August 2017 at 16:42 | #
  Hi Janine Its all about marrows at this time of the year and they make the best curry!! So please to hear you are enjoying using the website. Let me know what you thought of the curry and chutney! Thanks Hari
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Pat
05 August 2017 at 11:48 | #
Would love to try this but I can not eat tomatoes (annoying as included in many currys) could you recommend something to substitute instead of toms?
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  05 August 2017 at 12:08 | #
  Hi Pat You can make a paste by roasting red peppers and blending them to a puree and use that instead of tomatoes. This is a good substitute or you could miss them out for this dish. Does that help? Let me know how you get on. Thanks Hari
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Sarah
03 August 2017 at 10:52 | #
I had never cooked marrow before today and was stuck for ideas. This recipe is absolutely delicious, quick, easy and healthy! Can't ask for more! Will defo cook again and look for other recipes of yours! Thanks
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  03 August 2017 at 11:52 | #
  Hi Sarah Marrow is one of those vegetables that people get stuck with but as you said I think this is an amazing way to use the vegetable. So lovely to hear that you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. Looking forward to hearing what you cook next from the website. Thanks Hari
  reply
Diane
29 July 2017 at 19:32 | #
Dear Hari
My husband and I just made this recipe and found it absolutely lovely! I will definitely make it again (I have another marrow!). I will use the base and use other vegetables when unable to find a marrow. I imagine pumpkin would work well too. Thanks for the easy to follow recipe and keep posting all your great ideas for meals.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  30 July 2017 at 20:08 | #
  Hi Diane Thanks for trying this dish. I love it too I think marrow is wonderful with a few spices. I have a great pumpkin dish here too http://www.harighotra.co.uk/pumpkin-curry-recipe but yes try it with other veg. Let me know how you get on Hari
  reply
Jules
28 July 2017 at 07:40 | #
Hi Hari, It was delicious!! Definitely recommend to anyone! My marrow skin cooked through so wasn't an issue. And it was so easy to make. Thank you very much.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  28 July 2017 at 07:46 | #
  Thats fantastic to hear - I really like this one too I'm so pleased you loved it. Have you seen my new app its free to download too? Really easy way to find recipes. www.harighota.co.uk/app
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Jules
25 July 2017 at 18:34 | #
Just wanted to let you know that your recipe is still being googled and tried! I haven't taken the skin off and am currently cooking this. I've added extra garlic, chilli and ginger as I buy them frozen so fingers crossed!
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  26 July 2017 at 08:46 | #
  Hi Jules That's fantastic to hear!! Older marrows may need to have the skin peeled but I usually find they are ok with the skin on. How was it? Thanks Hari
  reply
Sheila
16 November 2016 at 00:52 | #
Hi Hari,
I was given a marrow too!I made this for supper and it was delicious[say so myself!]so many thanks for a great recipe.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  16 November 2016 at 08:10 | #
  Hi Sheila always a pleasure, nice to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for leaving a comment Hari
  reply
Cliff
23 October 2016 at 13:38 | #
Cooking this up now. The smells are wonderful!
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  23 October 2016 at 20:54 | #
  Amazing let me know what you think!
  reply
Tony Mills
30 September 2016 at 09:45 | #
Trying this out today :)
reply
Ruth
21 September 2016 at 11:03 | #
I made this for friends and it was a big success. Very tasty and easy to make! I served it with dhal and rice and naan.
Would make it again, many times
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  30 September 2016 at 16:56 | #
  Hi Ruth Glad my recipe helped - thanks so much for trying it and for using the website. What are you trying next time? Thanks Hari
  reply
Maria
19 September 2016 at 11:33 | #
Hi, I'd like to try this recipe and was wondering if it freezes well.
Thanks
Maria
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  30 September 2016 at 16:57 | #
  Hi Maria Sorry I missed your message - Ive not tried it but I image it should be fine. Let me know Hari
  reply
Poonam
08 September 2016 at 16:55 | #
Made this today. It is really delicious, but I didn't peel the marrow before cooking and had to scrape it off afterwards. The peel was like plastic, even after an hour of cooking and totally inedible.
reply
- Hari Ghotra
  12 September 2016 at 14:35 | #
  Hi Poonam oh dear that must have been so annoying! I tend to leave the skin on and find that it cooks through but I guess it depends on the marrow. I think next time if it feels thick and hard to begin with then peel the marrow before cooking it. I will add this into the recipes so others can decide to peel if they wish. I really appreciate your feedback it really helps others. I am glad you liked the taste of the dish though. Let me know what else you try. Thanks Hari
  reply
Rach
04 September 2016 at 22:30 | #
Do you take the skin off the marrow?
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- Hari Ghotra
  05 September 2016 at 14:55 | #
  Hi Rach I don't but you can if you want to. I find it cooks down enough and adds a little texture. Let me know how it comes out! Thanks Hari
  reply
Louise
30 August 2016 at 09:13 | #
Brilliant recipe. We have had three humongous marrows given to us from our kindly neighbours. This will be my go to recipe for marrow in the future.
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- Hari Ghotra
  30 August 2016 at 09:18 | #
  Hi Louise That's brilliant - I really like this dish too so it makes be really happy to hear that you do too. As you have 3 marrow's I thought this great courgette chutney recipe (which works with marrow too) might give you an idea as to how to use them up. This keeps for ages too. http://www.harighotra.co.uk/courgette-chutney-recipe Thanks for using the site and leaving a comment. Do let me know if you try anything else. Hari
  reply