Evening · No onion or garlic
Pumpkin Coconut Curry
Tender cubes of pumpkin simmered in a mild coconut milk sauce with ginger, tomato, cumin and curry leaves. Gently sweet and warming.
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 25 min
- Total 40 min
- Makes 4 servings
Photo: Pumpkin Curry (Kaddu Ki Sabzi) by Mdsmds0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Pumpkin and coconut milk are a natural match: one sweet and earthy, the other rich and soft. This curry keeps the spices gentle so the pumpkin can shine, with ginger and a little tomato for brightness and a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves for fragrance.
Any firm orange squash works. Kabocha holds its shape well and has a chestnut-like flavor; butternut is easier to peel. The curry is thick enough to spoon over rice but loose enough to soak into flatbread, and it tastes even better the next day.
The recipe
Ingredients
Curry
To finish
Method
- Heat the coconut oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds; once they pop, add the cumin seeds and curry leaves and stir for 20 seconds.
- Add the ginger and cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato, turmeric, coriander, chili powder and salt. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the tomato softens into a thick paste.
- Add the pumpkin cubes and stir to coat them with the spices.
- Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the pumpkin is just tender when pierced with a knife.
- Shake the can of coconut milk well and stir it in along with the jaggery (unrefined cane sugar). Simmer uncovered for 5 to 8 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Avoid a hard boil, which can make coconut milk split.
- Lightly mash a few pieces of pumpkin into the sauce to give it body. Stir in the lime juice and taste for salt.
- Serve topped with cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Kitchen notes
- For the easiest peeling, microwave a whole squash for 2 to 3 minutes to soften the skin slightly before cutting.
- Add a handful of baby spinach or a cup of cooked chickpeas in the last 2 minutes for a heartier dish.
- Light coconut milk works but gives a thinner sauce; simmer a few minutes longer.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently and add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
To serve alongside
Steamed rice, Lemon Coconut Rice or warm flatbread.
A gentle note: this recipe is shared for cooking enjoyment only. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you have allergies or specific dietary needs, check every ingredient label and adapt the recipe to suit you.
