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You are here Home » Ingredient Info » Cooking With Pumpkin Around The World

Cooking With Pumpkin Around The World

October 2, 2018 by Caroline Williams 2 Comments

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Fall wouldn’t be fall without apple and pumpkin – in the United States, at least. It’s relatively well known that native Americans used pumpkins in a number of ways and the pilgrims quickly latched on to pumpkin as a source of food as well. However, probably less well known is that pumpkin also features in a number of other cultures around the world. 

If you're cooking with pumpkin this fall, be inspired and give some of these recipes for pumpkin around the world a try! | www.CuriousCuisiniere.com Pumpkin is a member of the winter squash family and in part since it shares much the same botanical classifications as some other squash, the name pumpkin can be used a bit more broadly than the varieties you might most commonly call a pumpkin in the US.

It is one of the most popular crops in the US, but is also grown around the world with other big producers being Mexico, India, Canada and China.

If you're cooking with pumpkin this fall, be inspired and give some of these recipes for pumpkin around the world a try! | www.CuriousCuisiniere.com

Early uses of pumpkin in the United States

Pumpkin is one of the earliest known foods in North America.

Native Americans used both the flesh and seeds of pumpkins as food and the seeds were considered by some tribes to have medicinal and spiritual value.

Some tribes ground up the seeds to make a flour for bread. Others would also use dried strips of pumpkin to weave into mats.

Early pilgrims quickly incorporated pumpkin into their diet as a side dish, in soups and of course into pumpkin pie which has become a feature of many Thanksgiving tables.

A slice of classic pumpkin pie.

Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin in European cooking

Pumpkin is less typically grown in Northern Europe, most likely due to climate since it is a warmer weather crop, but it does feature a lot more in Southern European cooking.

It was introduced to Europe by the Spanish, along with other New World crops, but was initially seen as more of a peasant food.

This is reflected in many of the recipes you will find for it.

Baked Pumpkin Arancini Risotto Balls

Baked Pumpkin Arancini (Risotto Balls)

In Spain, pumpkin is used in a number of ways both sweet and savory.

Examples include alboronía, a pumpkin and chickpea stew; buñuelos de calabaza, Spanish pumpkin fritters a bit like a cross between churros and donuts; as well as warming soups.

Pumpkin in Italy is known as ‘zucca’ and is built in to many favorite dishes from soups and stews to bread.

Risotto di zucca, pumkin risotto, is one of the most popular variations of risotto (used as the base for these pumpkin arancini). And, you’ll find it in many other comforting dishes, like tortelli di zucca, pumpkin ravioli, and pumpkin gnocchi.

Pumpkin infused homemade pasta makes the perfect vessel for a creamy tarragon cheese filling in this fall Pumpkin Ravioli Recipe.  | www.CuriousCuisiniere.com

Pumpkin Ravioli

Pumpkin in Asian cooking

In most cases in Asian cooking, pumpkin and kabocha are used pretty much interchangeably. In most cases, kabocha squash is what is used in the original recipe, but pumpkin as you would find in the US would work as a substitute.

Kabocha is generally a bit denser and sweeter than pumpkin when cooked, with a texture a bit more like sweet potatoes.

There are many Japanese uses for kabocha/pumpkin. A popular side is kabocha na nimono, simmered kabocha, where the squash is cooked in a seasoned broth. It can be made into korokke – croquettes – and tempura, as well as cooked on a teppanyaki grill. It is also used in desserts like kabocha cake.

Pumpkin is well used in Indian cooking as well and you’ll find it in many vegetarian curry variations, such as the Keralan dish erissery, where it is paired with coconut, and pumpkin oambal, where tangy tamarind is balanced by sweet jaggery. It’s also made in to a dry fry using various spices, and it is commonly used in the dessert/sweet snack pumpkin halwa.

This creamy, Thai Pumpkin Curry recipe brings the comforting flavors of fall into one easy meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. | www.CuriousCuisiniere.com

Thai Pumpkin Pork Curry

You’ll also find pumpkin in other dishes around the region. For example, ginataang kalabasa is a popular Filipino dish where the pumpkin/squash is cooked down in coconut milk, often served with string beans and shrimp.

Taiwanese pumpkin rice noodles combines diced pumpkin, thin rice noodles and pork with a simple soy-based sauce for a tasty one pot dish. It is also combined with pork in a comforting Vietnamese pumpkin soup with pork.

Pumpkin is also a common base in vegetarian versions of Thai curries or alongside meat, like this Thai pumpkin curry with pork. It’s also made into a dessert in Thailand where small pumpkins are filled with custard and steamed.

Similar to the American candied yams, Calabaza En Tacha or Candied Pumpkin is a wonderfully warming fall treat. | www.curiouscuisiniere.com

Calabaza En Tacha (Mexican Candied Pumpkin)

Other uses of pumpkin around the world

You’ll find pumpkin in many other parts of the world as well, with Mexico using it particularly in sweet dishes like calabaza en tacha (candied pumpkin) and pumpkin empanadas.

It is also popular in sweet dishes in the Middle East, as well as a few sweet-savory Afghan dishes, like kaddo bowrani.

Kaddo Bowrani (Afghan Pumpkin With Yoghurt Sauce)

Kaddo Bowrani (Afghan Pumpkin With Yoghurt Sauce)

And all of this is without mentioning jack-o-lanterns!

But while we do, did you know that the original jack-o-lanterns weren’t made with pumpkins?

They were actually made out of rutabaga or turnips in Ireland and Scotland. When the tradition was brought to the US, pumpkins were adopted as a more readily available vegetable to carve, which is also a whole lot easier (as I know from experience, having grown up carving rutabaga, or turnip as we called it, in Scotland myself!)

If you're cooking with pumpkin this fall, be inspired and give some of these recipes for pumpkin around the world a try! | www.CuriousCuisiniere.com

Pumpkin is an incredibly versatile fruit (since it’s technically a fruit rather than a vegetable) and there are so many delicious ways to enjoy it.

Be inspired, and give some of these cultural recipes using pumpkin a try!

If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!

  • Thai Pumpkin Curry with PorkThai Pumpkin Curry with Pork
  • Pumpkin CornbreadPumpkin Cornbread
  • Pumpkin Pie Stuffed French ToastPumpkin Pie Stuffed French Toast
  • Crock Pot Pumpkin Bread PuddingCrock Pot Pumpkin Bread Pudding
  • Pumpkin Cheesecake BarsPumpkin Cheesecake Bars
  • Baked Pumpkin EmpanadasBaked Pumpkin Empanadas
  • Pumpkin Ravioli with TarragonPumpkin Ravioli with Tarragon
  • Risotto alla Zucca (Winter Squash Risotto)Risotto alla Zucca (Winter Squash Risotto)

Filed Under: Around the World, Ingredient Info Tagged With: Pumpkin, Squash

About Caroline Williams

Caroline has lived and traveled in various places before settling in Cambridge, MA. She still fits in some travel with her family, but often settles for traveling through food instead. Sharing recipes on her blog, Caroline's Cooking, there's plenty of international inspiration using seasonal ingredients, as well as creative recipes for all to enjoy. Caroline is originally from Scotland, where she grew up hiking and skiing, both things she still loves to do when her two young boys give her a chance. You can find out more on what she's cooking by following on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

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Comments

  1. Nancy Dick says

    October 21, 2018 at 2:31 am

    I was hoping to find recipes for Pumpkin SOUP from Australia. While we lived there almost all the restaurants served different squashes and they call ALL SQUASH “Pumpkin: not just the ones that Americans are used to calling pumpkin.

    They also cook with it as a vegetable. But the thing I found most interesting was pumpkin soup. Unfortunately the only one we LOVED was made by a woman that wouldn’t give us the recipe for it. Many of the restaurants served it and it was edible but not delicious. I was wanting to find recipes for it so I could experiment with them to try and replicate the yummy one that the woman made at home.

    Hope you have some pumpkin soup recipes from Australia.

    Sincerely, Nancy Dick

    Reply
    • Sarah Ozimek says

      October 23, 2018 at 1:36 pm

      Thanks for your comment Nancy! We will do some looking into Australian pumpkin soup recipes for you. In the meantime, maybe one of our readers will have some tips to help your search!

      Reply

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