Versatile in savoury dishes, pastries and ‘kuih’
JACK-O’-LANTERN, Cinderella, Sugar Pie, Baby Bear, Hooligan and Jarrahdale are charming names that belong to some of the world’s most popular pumpkin varieties.
While pumpkins may appear as just another produce item at markets in Malaysia, they hold near-iconic status in the United States, where they are celebrated on Oct 26 with National Pumpkin Day and take centre stage during Halloween on Oct 31.
Beyond their decorative role as glowing Jack-o’-Lanterns, pumpkins blend into seasonal traditions – from spiced lattes, creamy soups to Thanksgiving pies.
Botanically, pumpkin is a fruit because it develops from a flower and contains seeds.
In culinary terms, however, it is a vegetable since it is rarely eaten raw and is cooked into soups, stews, curries and savoury pies.
Pumpkins belong to the squash family, classified under the genus Cucurbita, which also include acorn squash, zucchini and certain gourds.
This explains why butternut squash and pumpkin are closely related although they differ in shape, size and sweetness.
Butternut squash, for instance, is elongated with tan skin, thick flesh and small hollow, while pumpkins are often orange or dual-coloured, round and with a bigger cavity.
The flesh’s vivid orange colour is more than just eye-catching.
It signals a rich supply of beta-carotene – the antioxidant responsible for the colour of many orange fruits and vegetables.
Once consumed, beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A.
The fruit is also a good source of potassium and fibre.
Even the seeds, when roasted, offer protein, healthy fats and magnesium.
During a visit to the bustling Chorsu Bazaar in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, I was struck by a towering mound of pumpkins at one corner of the market.
Since it was winter, it made sense as pumpkins store exceptionally well through colder months making them a dependable winter staple.
Having grown up enjoying pumpkin in savoury dishes, pastries and kuih, I find comfort in its gentle sweetness and creamy texture.
It is wonderfully versatile – simmered in coconut milk, baked into pies or blended into velvety soups.
Last Christmas, I turned to a pumpkin soup recipe by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, which I have prepared several times.
Smooth and tasty, it proved a hit at our family dinner table.
Today, however, I am sharing something closer to home – a simple easy to prepare Malay-style pumpkin dish with coconut milk.
Best enjoyed with white rice, it pairs well with sambal ikan bilis, sambal belacan or even just a fried egg for an enjoyable meal.
Pumpkin and prawns in coconut milk
Ingredients
4 tbsp cooking oil
2 sprigs curry leaf
3 red onions (150g)
½ half a knob of ginger
½ tsp cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, pounded
3 cups cubed pumpkin
1 tsp salt to taste
1 cup fresh coconut milk
½ tsp turmeric powder
200g shelled prawns
2 pods red chilli deseeded
½ tsp granulated sugar
Directions
Cut the pumpkin into cubes to yield about three cups, then set aside.
Heat cooking oil in a shallow pot and throw in the curry leaves.
Slice the onions and ginger, add them to the pot.
Saute the ingredients until fragrant.
Next, stir in cumin seeds.
Pound three garlic cloves using a mortar and pestle, then add to the pot.
When the onions are translucent, add the pumpkin cubes.
Stir for them to be coated in the spiced mixture.
Pour in the coconut milk and mix to combine.
Sprinkle in turmeric powder for a nice yellow hue.
Let the dish simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the pumpkin yields easily to a fork.
Finally, add the prawns and deseeded red chillies for added flavour and colour to the dish.
Cover the pot and cook for about five minutes, just until the prawns turn pink and tender.
Taste and, if needed, stir in half a teaspoon of sugar to round out the flavours.
Serve with white rice.
