Thai Pumpkin Curry
I love, love, love Thai Pumpkin Curry as it’s truly one of my favorite dishes. It’s creamy, hearty, and tastes delicious. There are more complicated versions of this dish, but I think this recipe gives a nice introduction to Thai cuisine for kids.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
- 1 ½ lbs pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 can coconut milk (14oz)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
Add coconut oil, onion, garlic and curry paste to a medium size pot. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add cubed pumpkin and stir.
Add coconut milk, lime juice and vegetable broth and bring to a rolling boil. Cover and let it simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, ensuring pumpkin is soft and fully-cooked. Add time if needed. Stir in Thai basil just before serving over rice.
Note: I prefer to use Kabocha squash, an extremely cute little Japanese pumpkin. It has dark green skin, tastes somewhat sweeter, and has a more delicate mouth feel than ordinary pumpkin. But here’s the real bonus, no peeling is required as the skin is edible! It’s unlikely you’ll find this pumpkin already prepared, so the downside is you’ll need to cube it, clean out the seeds and roast it for 15 minutes or so before you begin preparing this recipe.
Yee Peng Lantern Festival
The skies of Chiang Mai are set aglow as thousands of lanterns are released throughout the city during the Yi Peng Lantern Festival. This citywide gathering takes place on the evening of the full moon on the 12th month of the Thai lunar calendar (usually November) and is often celebrated alongside Loy Krathong during three days of parades, markets, candle lightings and more.