Pumpkin Curry for Dinner Tonight!

Here's what we had for dinner tonight.

Pumpkin Curry, Chicken Curry, Lettuce and Tomato and Basmuti Rice

I'm not the cook in the family and people often mistakenly believe that I cannot cook so they get a surprise when I toss up a fabulous dinner. As previously mentioned, pumpkins are extra plentiful at our house and that's great because they are my favourite vegetable. I love them cooked any way you like! I remember several decades ago when I first arrived in Sri Lanka and everyone was trying to be nice to me and wanted to cook my favourite curry  so they asked me what I curry liked the best. I then learned that, at that time, pumpkin curry was served mainly after a funeral so my choice was not well regarded! [Nowadays I notice that pumpkin curry is served more often in a general diet and is not reserved solely for funeral food.]

Here's how I make a pumpkin curry! It is based on how I learned to cook it when I lived in Sri Lanka, with the same ingredients but cooked a bit differently.

Pumpkin Chunks, Powdered Black Pepper, Canola Oil, Lorraine's Curry Powder, Crushed Mustard, Lemon, Garlic, Onion, Fennugreek Seeds, Curry Leaves

In addition to the above items, I use: Black Mustard Seeds, Powdered Maldive Fish, Chilli powder and salt to taste. For family celebrations I use Coconut Cream but usually we are cholestrol conscious and substitute Milk and Coconut Essence or Evaporated Milk and Coconut Essence instead.

I make my own curry powder from a traditional Sri Lankan recipie learned by watching my husband's mother. She did it the hard way by pounding the roasted spices but I, fortunately, have mod con appliances that make the job so much easier. My curry powder does not have chilli in it - that has to be added separately.

The Tempuring Stage

Every Sri Lankan friend whom I've seen cooking Pumpkin Curry has put all the ingredients in the pot at once, so this is where my cooking method differs, thanks to my husband's cooking talents for improving on the traditional way. [ HE is the BEST cook.]


To start, I put a little vegetable oil in a heavy bottom pot, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to start popping and crackling - a lovely sound! Then I add the sliced onion, crushed garlic, fenugreek seeds, curry powder [ but not the chilli powder or tumeric yet!] and cook, stirring with a wooden spatula for about five minutes. The aroma is wonderful! Then in comes some tumeric which brings up a golden yellow colour. If you are trying this recipie, don't be over generous with the tumeric or put in in until the tempuring is done until you get to know it because too much, too soon can spoil the flavour of the dish. Anyway, that's tempuring for you. It brings out the flavours beautifully.

Cooking Stage of the Pumpkin Curry

Now I add three quarters of a cup of water and stand back as the steam gushes upwards while quickly dropping the chunked pumpkin into the pot as well, along with a little Chilli powder. I let the pumpkin simmer with the lid off for about 10 minutes, checking often to ensure that the pumpkin does not become mushy.

Pumpkin Curry with Coconut Milk added

Now is the time to add either the decadent version - coconut cream - or the healthier version, milk/soy milk and coconut essence. It is important to allow it to merely heat up and not to boil. If it boils, the dish is likely to become curdled, which is not a good look.

Lastly, I add lemon juice, crushed mustard and a little salt, remembering that salt is not good for my arteries.

Pumpkin Curry

A Perfect Meal - Pumpkin Curry, Chicken Curry and some leafy bites

Kama Lasti!