Pumpkin Curry

Thanks to a traumatizing experience in third grade involving coconut milk, I have avoided all foods that use it as an ingredient. But recent trips to Thai restaurants have changed my perspective, opening up a whole new world of flavors and combinations perfectly suited for my vegetarian ways. For my first venture into Thai cooking, I started with a vegetarian version of a classic Thai dish, pumpkin curry.


Thai curries are simple dishes of vegetables and meats in a flavorful broth made from coconut milk and curry paste. For this version I used a vegetarian red curry paste from the grocery store, but traditional paste is made from fermented ground shrimp, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, peppers, garlic, galangal, and other flavorings. Particularly ambitious home chefs can find several recipes for red curry paste online, but I am happy to leave paste making to the pros. Even though Thai curry has a reputation for being a spicy dish, red curry paste itself doesn't have a lot of heat. I added dried whole tien tsin chili peppers to the broth during cooking. These small Chinese peppers definitely add heat, but it's short-lived unlike the lingering heat associated with Indian curry and Mexican dishes.

When it comes to healthy cooking coconut milk is NOT your friend. A single can will cost you 850 calories and 70 grams of fat, 49 of which are of the artery-clogging, cholesterol-promoting, saturated variety. You can easily substitute light coconut milk which has a modest 250 calories and 23 grams of fat per can, most of which is unfortunately saturated fat. Despite its much lighter flavor, I always opt for light coconut milk in my curry for the calorie savings and to enhance the coconut flavor I sometimes add a few drops of coconut extract. For the ultimate health-conscious substitution, add 1/4 tsp coconut extract to 8 oz milk or soymilk to fake using real coconut milk. I'm sure this practice would be greatly frowned upon by true Thai cooking enthusiasts, but it can be a really helpful substitution in a pinch.

Curry is one of those one-pot meals where you can add any combination of vegetables and protein you like or have on hand. The reason I chose to make this a pumpkin curry is because the starches from the pumpkin break down slightly during cooking and help thicken the broth, making it creamier than other curries. For this recipe you want to use a small, sweet pumpkin variety like Sugar Pie, but these can be difficult to find outside the holiday season. You can substitute any winter squash for pumpkin in this recipe, but acorn squash is easy to find, delicious, and happens to be the perfect size. Fresh lemongrass adds a really amazing fresh flavor to this dish, but it too can difficult to find. I purchased a tube of prepared lemongrass from the produce section at my grocery store and it worked perfectly, plus I have leftovers to use in future recipes.

Rather than use tofu I made this with mock duck, which is a protein source made from wheat gluten. It's a relative of seitan that has been seasoned and cooked giving it a texture that's more similar to meat and a very mild flavor. To be perfectly honest, this was the first time I have cooked with mock duck, and when I opened up the can I had serious doubts about my judgement. Canned mock duck looks a lot like canned pet food, which is really, really gross. But if you rinse it off before using it, you will be rewarded with a delicious source of protein for your dish. I promise! If mock duck isn't appealing, you could substitute tofu, seitan, tempeh, or chickpeas for an equally delicious source of protein.

This recipe is made for those busy weeknights when you need to get from stovetop to table in under 30 minutes. But its also nice enough to serve to guests for a special occasion. And the leftovers make fantastic lunches! Per serving this recipes has just 225 calories and 8 grams of fat. Serve this with a side of brown rice for a nutritious and decidedly delicious vegan meal. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Curry, Serves 6
1 T canola oil
1 1/2 T chopped lemongrass
2 T fresh ginger, minced
1 T garlic, minced
3 T. red curry paste
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tien Tsin or other dried hot peppers, whole
1 can light coconut milk
1/3 - 1/2 small pumpkin, peeled and cut in 1-inch dice, about 2 cups
2 carrots, sliced
2 sweet potatoes, chopped 1-inch dice
1 bell pepper, chopped 1-inch dice
1/2 medium onion, cut in 1/4-inch slices
1 can baby corn
1 can mock duck, rinsed and chopped
Cilantro, optional

In an 8-quart stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass, cooking until fragrant, about one minute. Add curry paste, salt, hot peppers, and coconut milk, stirring well to combine. Add pumpkin, carrots, and sweet potatoes, simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables start to become tender. Add remaining vegetables and mock duck, cook for another 5 minutes until heated through. Serve with brown rice and garnish with fresh cilantro.