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PUMPKIN CURRY(Sri Lankan, vegetarian)

A Pumpkin curry recipe for fall and pumpkin season.

If you are looking for the best pumpkin coconut curry with creamy, perfectly balanced flavours then you won’t be disappointed with this vegetarian curry.

This Sri Lankan pumpkin curry is also known as “wattakka curry” in Sinhalese.

Enjoy the simple flavours of this Pumpkin curry cooked in Coconut milk and turmeric powder then tempered with onions and mustard.

The vegetarian and vegan curry is always great with a steaming plate of rice.

You won’t even need any extra dishes to compliment your bowl of rice as the coconut pumpkin curry with its creamy gravy is more than enough to satisfy you.

It’s another Sri Lankan dish you can easily recreate at home.

Sri Lankan creamy pumpkin curry.

vegetarian yellow pumpkin curry.

I often have to cook this pumpkin coconut curry for my kids at home.

It’s mildly spiced and gives you a creamy gravy that the kids love to mix with rice and some poppadams.

meal plans to serve with pumpkin curry.

  1. White rice,
  2. If you love to try a village-style menu,
  3. White rice

How to cut the pumpkin for the curry.

  • Wash the pumpkin.
  • Place the pumpkin over a hard surface and use a heavy knife to cut through the ridges you already find in the pumpkin.
  • You will be cooking the pumpkin with the skin. As the pumpkin has a hard, thick skin use a sharp, heavy knife to cut through the thick skin. 
  • Remove all the seeds and then cut the wedges into 2-inch thick cubes.

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he perfect pumpkin curry recipe for fall and pumpkin season. Enjoy the simple flavors of this Pumpkin curry cooked in Coconut milk and Turmeric powder then tempered and served warm with rice and curry.

Utensils and appliances needed.

  • Chopping board and knife
  • Medium-sized cooking pan to cook the pumpkin coconut milk curry.
  • Small bowl to hold the tempered onions and mustard once it is done.
More Pumpkin recipes

Pumpkin curry cooked in toasted coconut.

Vegetarian pumpkin-mushroom chickpea curry

Pan-fried turmeric mustard pumpkin

Sri Lankan beef and pumpkin curry.

More Sri Lankan recipes

Sri Lanka dhal curry

Sri Lankan potato curry

Sri Lankan cashew curry

Storing

Store in air-tight glass containers, as the spices will stain. can be refrigerated and consumed within 2 days.

Freezing

Can be frozen but because of the coconut milk, there will changes to the texture and taste.

Reheating

Remove from the freezer, let the curry reach room temperature and then reheat over a stovetop or microwave. use microwave cover to avoid splattering.

Stop food waste by

Cook only as much as you need any leftovers can be refrigerated.

recipe difficulty- easy

How to cook Sri Lankan pumpkin curry

Please make sure to read the recipe instructions carefully to avoid mistakes.

Ingredients

The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.

For tempering

4-5 tablespoons of Oil

A handful of Curry leaves

1 large onion sliced fine

2 garlic cloves sliced fine

1/2 teaspoon of chili flecks

1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds

To cook the pumpkin curry

500g of Pumpkin, Cleaned and cut into the required size.

3 Garlic cloves finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

3 Cardamom pods

1-inch cinnamon piece

1 cup of water(keep 1/2 a cup more just in case you would need more water to semi-cook the pumpkin before adding the coconut milk)

1/2 a cup of thick Coconut milk

Method

Tempering.

In a pan over medium heat, using three tablespoons of oil.

Temper the chopped curry leaves, onion(1 large), and garlic(2 pods). 2-3 minutes.

While the onions are tempering add the Turmeric(1/4tsp), Chilli flecks(1/2 tsp), and mustard seeds(1 tsp).

Continue cooking for another 2 minutes over low heat. transfer ingredients to a bowl and set aside.

Tempering is what gives the creamy coconut curry more flavour.

Make sure to do the tempering without burning the mustard or the red chilli flakes.

Burnt mustard and chilli flakes and ruin this pumpkin curry if not done correctly over low-medium heat.

tempering ingredients for the pumpkin curry.

cooking the pumpkin curry.

Use the same pan you used to temper the ingredients.

Add the pumpkin and pour in the water(1 cup, keep 1/2 a cup more just in case you would need more water to semi-cook the pumpkin before adding the coconut milk).

The pumpkin cubes should be soft before you add the coconut milk.

If this means adding an additional amount of water than mentioned in this then please do add to reach the correct consistency.
For this purpose add water in 1/2 a cup.

Set the heat to medium while the pumpkin is cooking.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, garlic(3 cloves), cardamom pods(3), and cinnamon(1-inch piece).

Mix well with the pumpkin and let it slow simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the pumpkin turns soft.

While the pumpkin cooks, you can either cover it with a lid or leave it open.

leave your wooden spoon in so that the water doesn’t spill over but use caution when touching the spoon again as it will be hot.

cook the pumpkin in spices and water to make the pumpkin curry.

Once the pumpkins are tender, reduce the heat.

Pour in the coconut milk, taste again, and season with salt if needed.

Slow simmer over medium heat for a further 15 minutes.

cooking the pumpkin in coconut milk.

Cook until the desired consistency is reached which is a milky, thick gravy and soft Pumpkins.

add the tempering to the pumpkin to cook the curry.

Add the tempered ingredients to the pumpkin curry, mix and serve warm with your rice and curry.

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Pumpkin-coconut milk Curry(Sri Lankan, vegetarian)

Pumpkin-coconut milk Curry(Sri Lankan, vegetarian)

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Enjoy the simple flavors of this Pumpkin curry cooked in Coconut milk and Turmeric powder then tempered and served warm with rice and curry.

Ingredients

  • Ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons

For tempering

  • 4-5 tablespoons of Oil
  • A handful of Curry leaves
  • 1 large onion sliced fine
  • 2 garlic cloves sliced fine
  • 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flecks
  • 1/4 teaspoon of Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds

To cook the pumpkin curry

  • 500g of Pumpkin, Cleaned and cut into the required size.
  • 3 Garlic cloves finely sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 Cardamom pods
  • 1-inch cinnamon piece
  • 1 cup of waterr(keep 1/2 a cup more just in case you would need more water to semi cook the pumpkin before adding the coconut milk)
  • 1/2 a cup of thick Coconut milk

Instructions

Tempering.

In a pan over medium heat, using three tablespoons of oil, temper the chopped curry leaves, onion(1 large), garlic(2 pods). 2-3 minutes.

While the onions are tempering add the Turmeric(1/4tsp), Chilli flecks(1/2 tsp), and mustard seeds(1 tsp).

Continue cooking for another 2 minutes over low heat. transfer ingredients to a bowl and set aside.

Tempering is what gives the creamy coconut curry more flavor.

Make sure to do the tempering without burning the mustard or the red chili flakes.

Burnt mustard and chili flakes and ruin this pumpkin curry if not done correctly over low-medium heat.

How to cook the pumpkin curry.

Use the same pan you used to temper the ingredients.

Add the pumpkin and pour in the water(1 cup, keep 1/2 a cup more just in case you would need more water to semi-cook the pumpkin before adding the coconut milk).

The pumpkin cubes should be soft before you add the coconut milk.

If this means adding an additional amount of water than mentioned in this then please do add to reach the correct consistency. For this purpose add water in 1/2 a cup.

Set the heat to medium and while the pumpkin is cooking, add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric, garlic(3 cloves), cardamom pods(3), cinnamon(1-inch piece).

Mix well with the pumpkin and let it slow simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the pumpkin turns soft.

While the pumpkin cooks in the water you can either cover it with a lid or leave it open.

leave your wooden spoon in so that the water doesn’t spill over but use caution when touching the spoon again as it will be hot.

Once the pumpkins are tender, reduce heat, pour in the coconut milk, taste again, and season with salt if needed.

Slow simmer over medium heat for further 15 minutes.

Cook until the desired consistency is reached which is a milky, thick gravy and soft Pumpkins.

Add the tempered ingredients to the pumpkin curry, mix and serve warm with your rice and curry.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 266Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Each recipe on this blog has been written with great care and love to the best of my ability with you in mind.
It’s free and on the blog, for you to try anytime.

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rachel

Friday 20th of November 2020

Yum! Thanks

Brian Lageose

Wednesday 26th of August 2015

This looks and sounds delicious. By the way, I am very bad with lids. I always think something is closed, and it's not, so I am constantly cleaning ingredients out of the grout lines on the kitchen-counter tile... ;)

jehan

Wednesday 26th of August 2015

You're not the only one, milk to curries. Try the wooden spoon trick stops the overflowing like magic or stick it in the pan that works too.☺

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