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Posted on Last updated: Categories 30-45 Minutes, Curry Corner, Spicy Recipes

By: Author Brian Jones

Burmese Pumpkin Curry with Mint & Tamarind

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This vegan Pumpkin Curry is inspired by a Burmese recipe, it features the flavours of mint, tamarind and is both quick and easy to cook!

Portrait image of a Burmese influenced vegan pumpkin curry served with white rice and fresh coriander

Quick and Easy Vegan Curry.

This recipe is responsible for a new found love of all things squash and pumpkin.

Inspired by a recipe from a book called Burma by Naomi Duguid it has become a regular feature on our weekly dinner menu.

This pumpkin curry is very different to from my usual curry recipes. Most of which are Indian and rely on dried spices and seeds, things like my beef dopiaza or chicken jalfrezi.

Or are from south-east Asia and rely on complex pastes like my Thai Prawn curry or Beef Massaman curry.

This easy pumpkin curry recipe relies on a far simpler set of ingredients.

It is hot and sour with a hint of sweetness, it is also vegan and takes a shade over 30 minutes to cook!

Portrait overhead image of a Burmese influenced vegan pumpkin curry served with white rice and fresh coriander

Ingredient Advice.

I usually make this pumpkin curry with a butternut squash. The primary reason for this is that they are on the smaller side. This is really important when cooking for two!

I will usually get two or three meals from a butternut squash and I can not be doing with the same meal over and over. My freezer management is also shockingly bad!

I will usually call it squash week, I will maybe have this, my butternut squash tagine and then possibly my butternut squash pasta or butternut squash chilli.

I may even roast off the leftovers and turn it into puree and use it in my pumpkin risotto recipe!

My British readers will be more than aware of mint sauce but if you are from the US then you may need a hand.

Mint sauce is a mix of mint, vinegar and sugar.

To make your own grab a big handful of mint, add 50ml of vinegar, 50 ml of boiling water. Mix then add salt and sugar to make it to your taste.

It is far from being a typical Burmese ingredient!

Originally this recipe calls for a type of acid, some sugar and mint. So in reality pretty analogous!

One final hint, if you are not vegan switch out the soy sauce for fish sauce, it adds a wonderful complexity of flavour!

Portrait close up image of a Burmese influenced vegan pumpkin curry served with white rice and fresh coriander

Serving Suggestions.

I like curries served with rice, my usual go to is simply boiled basmati rice.

I have served this pumpkin curry with coconut rice and it is delicious.

My love of flat breads with curry means that this recipe has also been served with my very Indian chapatis.

It worked a treat with this dryer style of curry.

If you wanted to pair it with a salad then this Burmese ginger salad would be ideal!

Square image of a Burmese influenced vegan pumpkin curry served with white rice and fresh coriander
Yield: 2 Servings

Easy Burmese Pumpkin Curry Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

This simple pumpkin curry is influenced by a Burmese recipe I came across and it features, mint, tamarind and ginger and a good punch of chilli heat!

Ingredients

  • 500 g (17 oz) Diced Pumpkin
  • 50 g (35mm or 1.5" diameter ball) Tamarind Pulp
  • 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
  • 1 Tsp Ground Turmeric
  • 75 g (1/4 Cup) Grated Onion
  • 1.5 Tbsp Grated Ginger
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Chilli Pepper
  • 1.5 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Mint Sauce

Instructions

  1. Roughly chop the Tamarind pulp and placed in a bowl with 50ml boiling water.
  2. Allow to steep for 10 minutes stirring occasionally and then pass the liquid through a fine sieve reserving the liquid and discarding the pulp.
  3. Grate the ginger and onion.
  4. Mash the garlic cloves.
  5. Finely chop the chilli pepper.
  6. Add the cooking oil to a heavy based pan over a medium heat
  7. When the oil is up to temperature add the turmeric and stir.
  8. Throw in the garlic, ginger, chilli and grated onion.
  9. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.
  10. Add the tamarind pulp, mint sauce and soy sauce and stir.
  11. Add the pumpkin and water then stir and add a lid.
  12. Cook for 20-25 minutes on low to medium or until the pumpkin is cooked through.
  13. Before serving have a taste and add more soy sauce if you need more salt and maybe a sprinkle of sugar.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 501Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 1545mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 7gSugar: 21gProtein: 22g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

© Brian Jones
Cuisine: Burmese / Category: Curry Corner

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Hi, my name is Brian and I'm here to prove that ALL cooking is simple! You will get no gimmicks, no trends, no dietary advice and no life advice here, just great food designed for two, the occasional story or two and a spattering of sarcasm!

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