Organic Food, Vitality & Health

Pumpkins are related to cucumbers, winter squash and gourds, and are a member of the genus Cucurbita. This genus is an annual fruit growing vine, though pumpkins are generally thought of as a vegetables
There are many different varieties of pumpkins, some are tiny and nestle in the palm of your hand, others too big to move single handed. Thick slices hacked from large pumpkins are for sale in small stores and markets throughout the world. The average pumpkin weighs between 5 – 201bs The following recipes celebrate the diversity of the pumpkin and the cultures that use them. All of the standard size orange varieties work in these recipes. Pumpkin soup works beautifully with the Thai flavours of coconut, lemon grass, kefir lime leaves, chilli and basil. The pumpkin bread is one of my favourite it gives the rolls a delicate golden hue.
Sikil P'ak a pumpkin seed dip from Mexico makes a nutritious spicy dip. In the Indian lentil stew the wonderful spices are absorbed by the pumpkin, any leftovers are even better the next day. Pumpkin pie is the classic American pudding, if the pastry is too much for you, return the dish to its origins by using the hollowed out pumpkin shell as the case.

In a medium saucepan cook the garlic, shallots and chilli in the coconut oil until soft about 5 minutes. Add the diced pumpkin, stock, kefir lime leaves, lemon grass and bring to the boil. Simmer until the pumkin is tender and beginning to break up. Stir in the coconut milk, bring back to the boil, remove from the heat and add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve scattered with basil leaves.

Cook pumpkin just enough water to barely cover the cubed pumpkin strain, reserve cooking liquid and sieve. Dissolve yeast in 3 fl oz (75ml) of the cooking liquid and leave for 10 minutes until frothy. Mix flour, salt, yeast, sieved pumpkin, pumpkin seeds and enough of the cooking liquid together until you have a soft malleable dough. Knead for 5 minutes, turn into oiled bowl and leave for about an hour or until double in size. Shape into rolls and place on the prepared tray leave to double in size again before baking 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven.

Other articles include:

The British Season
In Celebration of Cabbage
Autumn Harvest
Microwaves
Barley
Look After the Wildlife in your Garden
Sprouting
Aloe Vera
Garlic
Moonlight Gardening

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