THAI PUMPKIN CURRY

     Thai Pumpkin Curry is a popular Thai style Curry prepared with Red Curry Paste and Coconut Milk. Curry Pastes serves as a basic component of Thai cuisine and they are used as the base for many Thai Soups, Curries, and Stir-fries. This Thai Pumpkin curry is an authentic recipe prepared with freshly pound Thai Red Curry Paste.
      The secret behind the most authentic and flavour filled fragrant Thai Curry Paste is that they are traditionally pounded in a Mortar and Pestle. Though a cumbersome and slightly time-consuming process, the results are quite rewarding that we would never opt for grinding the ingredients in a Mixer-grinder/Food processor. The reason behind is that the slow method of pounding the ingredients in a Mortar and Pestle releases the natural oils from the ingredients giving out an overwhelming taste and flavour.
      Thai Pumpkin Curry is usually prepared along with Chicken/Pork/Shrimps in the Curry.  But in this recipe, I have used only the Yellow Pumpkin.  This Curry is very mild with notes of flavours from the herbs and aromatics. The mild and natural Sweetness of the Pumpkins and Coconut Milk gives a unique taste to this Curry. This is one dish that tastes great the next day and it is because the longer you simmer it or reheat it, the curry gets thicker and the pumpkin absorbs the flavours along with few pieces of Pumpkins getting dissolved into the Curry making it more tastier and flavour filled.

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Cuisine - Thai
Course - Side Dish
Spice Level  - Low - Medium
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 30 - 45 Minutes
Cooking Time - 15 -20 Minutes

HOW TO COOK THAI PUMPKIN CURRY

INGREDIENTS :

Pumpkin - 1 Cup
Birds-eye Chillies - 1 No.
Fish Sauce - 1 Tbspn
Kaffir Lime Leaves - 5-6 Leaves
Thai Basil - Few
Coconut Milk - 11/2 Cups

For Red Curry Paste :

Dry Red Chillies - 6-8 Nos.
White Peppercorns - 3 Tspn
Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Coriander Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Shallots - 4-5 Nos.
Garlic - 8-10 Cloves
Belacan(Shrimp Paste) - 1/2 Tspn
Fresh Coriander Root - 1 Tbspn
Lemon Grass - 1 Stalk
Galangal - 1" Piece
Kaffir Lime Peel - of 1/2 Lime
Salt - To Taste
Gula Melaka(Palm Sugar) - 1 Small Piece

METHOD :

For Red Curry Paste :

• Pestle and Mortar work well for the process.
• First pound the dry ingredients, starting with White Peppercorns until they are finely ground.
• Follow it with Cumin Powder and Coriander Powder.
• Pound all the ingredients together until they are finely ground.  
• Once done, empty it from the Mortar into a bowl and keep it aside.
• Soak Dry Red Chillies in hot water for about 10-15 Minutes.
• Cut the soaked Dry Red Chillies into small pieces and pound them adding a teaspoon of Salt with a Mortar and Pestle.
• Pound the Dry Chillies for about 5-8 minutes or until they are finely ground and the natural Oils from the Chillies are fully released.
• Once the Dry Chillies are pound well, add finely chopped Shallots, Garlic, Lemon Grass, Galangal, Fresh Coriander Roots and Kaffir Lime Peel into the Mortar.
• Pound all the ingredients until they are ground into a fine paste.
• The Paste should be finely ground without any lumps.
• Finally add the Shrimp Paste, Palm Sugar and mix well.
• Adjust the amount of Salt if necessary.
• Remove the Thai Red Curry Paste from the Mortar and keep it aside.

For Thai Pumpkin Curry :

• Cut Pumpkin into wedges along the groves.
• Remove the skin and seeds.
• Cut the Pumpkin into 1" Cubes.
• Pour half of the Coconut Milk into a deep Pan.
• Add the Red Curry Paste to the Coconut Milk and mix well.
• Boil this on a low flame for few minutes stirring occasionally until Oil separates from the mix and the raw flavour goes.
• Add Pumpkin Cubes along with the rest of the Coconut Milk and water.
• Drizzle Fish Sauce and mix well.
• Cook this over a low flame until Pumpkins turn soft.
• Add thinly sliced Birds-eye Chilli, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Thai Basil to the Thai Pumpkin Curry.
• Give a quick stir and immediately switch off the flame.
• Serve this thick & creamy Thai Pumpkin Curry with steamed Fragrant Rice.

NOTES :

• Yellow Pumpkin/Winter Squash suits best for this Thai Pumpkin Curry.
• Can also add 1/2 a Cup of Chicken Pieces/Pork/Shrimps along with Pumpkins in this recipe.
• White Peppercorns gives a nice flavour keeping the spiciness mild without changing the colour of Thai Red Curry Paste.
• Can Substitute it with White Pepper Powder.
• Adjust the amount of Fish Sauce to suit your preference.
• Adjust the number of Dry Chillies to suit your spice level.
• Thai Pumpkin Curry should be Creamy and thick with a mild sweetness from the pumpkin.
• So add Coconut Milk as you prefer and adding Palm Sugar is truly optional.
• Can use fresh Coconut milk or store bought.
• For HOW TO MAKE FRESH COCONUT MILK, Click here...