trinidad pumpkin recipe Archives

Stewed Pumpkin or Pumpkin Talkari (takari) is definitely one of the easiest vegan dishes you’ll ever bless your tastebuds with. I have shared the Stewed Pumpkin With Salted Cod, Curry Pumpkin With Shrimp and back in 2012 we did the Stewed Pumpkin With Shrimp, this vegetarian version is still ranks as my fave.

You’ll Need…

2 tablespoon olive oil
7 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 lbs pumpkin (peeled, washed, sliced)
1 medium onion sliced
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 Scotch Bonnet pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 cup water (optional)

Notes! May I recommend that you follow along with the video below as much more is discussed there. Traditionally you’ll find that people use a bit of ground roasted Geera (cumin) in the recipe, however I’m not a fan of cumin, so I don’t. Additionally, mom would always add a bit of prepared salted Cod (saltfish) or shrimp to her stewed pumpkin. Those recipes are available here on the website as well. I wanted to keep this version fully vegan/vegetarian.

IMPORTANT! If you’re making this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

Peel, wash and slice the pumpkin. Yes, you may use your fav squash with similar results. My preference would be Butternut Squash if Caribbean (Calabaza) pumpkin is difficult to source.

Heat the oil in a deep pot on a medium flame, then add the olive oil followed by the garlic. Turn the heat down to low, then add the Caribbean Green Seasoning and cook for 3 minutes.

Turn the heat back up to medium and add the prepared pumpkin and stir well. This is when you’d add the water to help bring it to a boil. Add the salt, onion and Scotch Bonnet pepper. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot pepper. And use as much spicy pepper (any spicy pepper you like) as you can handle. Leave it out if ‘spicy’ is not your thing.

If you wanted to add a teaspoon of ground roasted cumin (geera) you may do so now. Alternatively you could have added a teaspoon of cumin seeds with the garlic at the start.

Mom was insistent that pumpkin is naturally sweet and didn’t need any sugar (when I told her what I was making for dinner with the last of the frozen buss up shut aka paratha roti she left before they left Canada for the winter). Yea, add the brown sugar now. Stir well, place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil.

Once it comes to a boil you have two options, leave the lid on slightly ajar or as I did, remove it completely. Turn the heat to med/low and cook until everything breaks down. You will notice (as explained in the video) that the pumpkin will release a lot of natural liquid and according to my family, stewed pumpkin is judged on how dry (without burning) you get it at the end.

It will take between 35 and 45 minutes to get to the right texture and you will be required to stir it relatively often as the sugars will want to assist it in burning in the area directly above the flame source. Scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir.

In the pic above you’ll see how dry (yet creamy) my stewed pumpkin turned out (a spatula can stand upright). Taste and adjust the salt to your liking and you’re done.

Served with your favorite rice, Sada roti or as I do sometimes.. on it’s own! It’s that good! If you’re interested in a version of Stewed Pumpkin with slated Pigtails, drop a comment below and I’ll get to it soon.

Vegetarian

That Pumpkin Cook Real Nice Boi!

March 5, 2012June 27, 201027 Comments

trinidad pmpkin talkari Growing up I remember hearing my mom saying to my grandmother or aunts in our unique accent “yea, that pumpkin real nice boi” and now that I occasionally cook pumpkin, I know exactly what they mean. No two pumpkins cook the same (end result), the texture, sweetness and overall taste can differ from pumpkin to pumpkin (and I don’t even mean variety… that’s another story altogether). The soil, amount of sun, rain (water) and growing conditions plays a huge part on the quality of pumpkin and the final product you get when it’s cooked.

That said, here’s a very simple recipe for cooking pumpkin which will almost guarantee a great final dish. (don’t forget to also check out the butternut squash recipe I posted many moons ago)

BTW, in Trinidad and Tobago this pumpkin recipe is usually called “Pumpkin Talkari” and it’s a hit at many of the Hindu homes and celebrations since it’s a vegetarian dish that’s full of goodness and simply amazing with roti.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs pumpkin (peeled and cubed – 1 inch pieces
1/2 medium onion (divided)
1/2 hot pepper (your choice – I used habanero) (to control heat, don’t use the seeds or inside ribs of the pepper)
3 cloves garlic chopped fine or crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin works best for me as it gives it a nutty flavour)
1 teaspoon salt (check at the end of cooking to add more if needed)
1/2 teaspoon golden brown sugar

Peel, cube and wash the pumpkin and drain off the excess water. Then in a deep pan, heat the oil on medium heat and add 1/4 of the sliced onion. Cook this for a couple minutes (until soft), then start adding the cubed pumpkin. BTW, if you live in North America you must note that this is NOT the pumpkin grown for Halloween. Go to any ethnic grocery store and they’ll surely have cooking pumpkin in stock.

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It will seem like a lot, but it will cook down. The next step is to add the rest of the ingredients, stir / cover and allow to simmer (low heat – covered) for about 30 minutes or until the pieces are tender and start to melt. You will notice that it will spring it’s own natural juices, the key at the end to ensure all of this is burnt off. After the 30 minutes or so you’ll need to use the back of your cooking spoon to gently crush any of the pieces that may still have the cubed shape (cook last few minute with the lid off). The idea is to get a smooth consistency at the end. Don’t forget to check for salt.

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Didn’t I say this was a simple recipe? I’d love to hear from you.. maybe you have a unique twist on making this? Leave me your comments in the area provided below and don’t forget to join our group on Face Book! Click on the image below to connect!

Seafood Vegetarian

What happens when you introduce shrimp to butternut squash?

March 5, 2012July 14, 200932 Comments

butternut squash recipe Sounds like a bad combo? Not if you’ve ever tasted my mom’s recipe for pumpkin (butternut squash in this case) cooked until it’s melted and as you turn of the heat you add some cooked shrimp to the mix. As a kid pumpkin and/or squash was one of those things we (my brother and sisters) would never allow to enter our mouth (we had a sentry posted at the entry to REFUSE all pumpkin-like food ) but as an adult the few times we can get our mom to cook it for us, we’re ever so thankful.

Here’s my take on my mom’s recipe for butternut squash with shrimp. Feel free to use any type of cooking (not the carving type you get for Halloween) pumpkin if you wish.

You’ll need….

1 butternut squash (about 2lbs) – peeled and diced
1/2 small onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – sliced thin or crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 habanero pepper (optional)
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

For the shrimp….

10 medium shrimp – peeled and deveined
1/4 small onion – chopped
1 clove garlic – crushed
1/4 teaspoon ketchup
1 tablespoon cilantro – chopped
dash of black pepper
dash of worchester sauce
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

NOTE: Though adding the shrimp gives it another layer of flavour, vegetarians can abstain from this step.

Start by cutting open the squash and as you would cut a watermelon into slices, do the same (you will need a heavy kitchen kinfe) . It can be a bit tough, but with a sharp potato peeler or as in my case a paring knife peel the skin away. Then using a spoon, scrape out all the seeds and surrounding tissue. Wash and slice into 1/2 inch cubes so it will cook fast.

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Then dice the onion, garlic and pepper. After which you can now place a saucepan on med-high heat and pour in the olive oil. As the oil heats and comes close to smoking, add the onion and garlic. Allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add the cubed squash.

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With the heat between medium and low, add the sliced pepper (optional) black pepper and salt, then cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. While this simmers lets get the shrimp seasoned and cooked.

Place the cleaned shrimp in a bowl and season with the ingredients mentioned above for this step (minus the oil). In another sauce pan heat the oil and add the seasoned shrimp. Keep the heat on high and only cook for about 3-5 minutes. When the shrimp turns changes colour, it’s a good indication that it’s cooked. Overcooking with cause the shrimp to go tough and change the flavour and texture of it. Don’t cover the sauce pan or it will spring a lot of water and stir as it cooks. Remove from over the burner when you’re done or the remaining heat will continue to cook the shrimp.

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Back to the squash. After the 20 minutes the cubes should be tender and melting away, this is when you can add the brown sugar. Using the back or your cooking spoon, press down on the cubes of squash to make into a chunky paste. If it’s a bit runny at this point, allow any liquid to burn off. When the paste like consistency is thick and free from any liquid turn off the heat and add the shrimp we just cooked. Stir it in well to add the shrimp flavor to the entire dish.

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