The world first saw pumpkins in Central America. Remains of pumpkins have been discovered in ancient ruins of cliff dwellers of Southwestern United States. The New World colonists learnt their uses from the local population, and all of these uses were not as food. But yes, it was the Native Americans who taught the white settlers how to dry pumpkin and grind it into meal for future use in foods. By the sixteenth century, they had started making soups, bread, and other desserts using this large vegetable, a member of the gourd family.
The vegetable is high in Vitamin A and potassium, while their seeds are rich in fiber and vitamins B and E. In fact the seeds of all types of pumpkins are edible and make an excellent snack by themselves. The seeds of the green hulled pumpkin are called ‘pepitas’ and often find use in Mexican cuisine. Roasted by themselves too, make a very tasty snack. Some other interesting recipes for pumpkins are given here. There is a very interesting fact associated with the American pumpkin pie. It is thought that when the settlers in North America filed the insides of a pumpkin with spices and honey and baked them in the hot ashes of dying fires, the pumpkin pie was born.
Pumpkin Pudding
For this all-American pudding you will need:
1 kg pumpkin, peeled and chopped
100 grams (almost ½ cup) flour
300 grams (2 no) coconut, desiccated
100 grams brown sugar
50 grams, (2 tablespoons) butter
3 tablespoons grated coconut for garnish
½ teaspoon allspice
Salt to taste
Boil the pumpkin till it is very soft and drain well.
Extract the liquid from the coconuts, and then break them. Take out the flesh and grate it. Pour the coconut milk over the grated coconut. Keep aside. After some time, strain the coconut, and keep the liquid. Discard he coconut (or use for fudge).
Heat the oven at 250 degree C.
Meanwhile, puree the pumpkin through the blender and into this puree, mix in the sugar, salt, allspices, coconut milk and flour. Pour this batter into a butter greased baking dish, smoothen the top and dot with butter. Then sprinkle the grated coconut on top and bake till the coconut begins to brown.
Pumpkin Soup
In its simplest avatar, pumpkin soup can be made in the following manner:
You need:
1 tbsp sunflower oil
500 grams pumpkin, diced,
1 large onion, sliced
250 grams potatoes, chopped
1 cup minced leeks
1/2 cup minced carrots
1/2 cup minced celery
500 ml milk
500 ml vegetable stock (or water)
A pinch of cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
Salt and ground black pepper
1 Bay leaf
Heat oil and fry the onions till soft. Add the vegetables and cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the stock, nutmeg, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Boil and cook till vegetables are well cooked. When cooled, remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Blend well. Then pour back into a clean saucepan and add milk, heating gently, and taste for seasoning.
Serve hot with crusty bread.
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