Stuffed Pumpkin

Part of my goals for VeganMofo was to cook out of cookbooks and cook French food. Both of which I’ve done a pretty good job of for once. I still have Around My French Table from the library (which I should really just buy) and made this stuffed pumpkin from it. The recipe is also posted on NPR here. Obviously I left out the bacon, cheese, and cream. I had some leftover stuffing mix – you know, the crappy bag of MSG laden bread cubes that sells for $.99 after Thanksgiving and my boyfriend loves so I’ve had a bag in the cupboard for a year now because I hate packaged stuffing. Well it was perfect here. I mixed up half a bag of that with a chopped onion, salt, pepper, garlic, a big handful of Daiya cheddar, and some vegetable stock so moisten everything a bit. I stuffed it into a really pretty blue-green squash. I never found out what type of pumpkin/squash it was but that’s ok because I didn’t love it. It was a little dry and stringy for my tastes, I’ll stick with my preferred kabocha squash. It was still a fun experience though.

Thai Pumpkin Curry

I’m so excited about this recipe. My mom and I’s favorite restaurant is Cool Basil in West Des Moines. Its where we would go when she’d convince me to go shopping with her. Often it was the reason I went. They have a bunch of really great things but the pumpkin curry is probably my favorite though I don’t get it often because it isn’t really all that healthy.

But now I can make it at home – as healthy or hedonistic as I want. I posed a question on the Post Punk Kitchen about a recipe that was tried and true and was pointed towards this one.  I tweaked it a bit to my tastes and ingredients and the result was amazing. I have pictures, but no patience for iphoto tonight. Instead here is the recipe.

Thai Pumpkin Curry

1 medium winter squash (kabocha is great)

1 tbsp. oil

1 onion, sliced

1-2 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp. Thai green curry paste

1 can coconut milk

1 c. water

2 1/2 tbsp. tamari

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. tamarind paste

1 red bell pepper, sliced

a handful of green beans, snapped

Peel and seed the squash and cut into cubes. In skillet, heat oil over medium and saute onion and curry paste until onions soften. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add squash, coconut milk, water, tamari, sugar, salt, and tamarind paste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Add bell pepper and green beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.