Autumn has settled in in my area and as October begins, we see pumpkins everywhere. Stores are proudly displaying towering stacks of canned pumpkin. They are preparing for the holiday season. This is perfect for those eager to whip up a pumpkin pie.

I opted for a more savory way to do pumpkin. I revisited an old recipe for a curry I found online a few years back. If you look online, you will see a plethora of pumpkin curry recipes. Most have chickpeas. The one I made is based on a few of them I saw with a few tweaks and trial and error to make what I think is a very pleasurable version

No, this is not Greek. But as this website is called “Kinda Greek”, I post a few non Greek recipes. I’m proud of these recipes and am confident you will enjoy them also.

Chock full of vitamin A from pumpkin and and tons of fiber from the chickpeas, this is mega healthy. Plus, it’s entirely vegan for those choosing a meatless option. While I do enjoy meat, I equally relish vegetarian dishes like this one.

For convenience, I opted for canned pumpkin and chickpeas over fresh or dried varieties. This choice streamlined the preparation process without sacrificing flavor.

Feel free to tailor the spice level to suit your palate. I opted for powdered curry, but both yellow and red curry pastes will impart a similarly delightful flavor profile.

Here’s the recipe.

CHICKPEA AND PUMPKIN CURRY

Serves 6

• 1 can (15.5 oz) pumpkin
• 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
• 1 (or 2. I used 2) cans (15.5 oz) chickpeas
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced or crushed
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp) madras curry powder
• 2 teaspoons (tsp) paprika
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt as needed
• OPTIONAL 3 tomatoes cut up small OR 1 can (15.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
• Jasmine rice.

In large pan over med-high heat, heat oil. Add carrots and onion and cook until just beginning to be translucent.

Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.

Add curry powder, garam masala, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and black pepper. Allow the spices to infuse for about a minute until their fragrant aroma fills the air.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let it simmer for a around 20-30 minutes.

For an optional twist, consider adding a can of tomatoes. If using crushed tomatoes, use one can of chickpeas. Thin the sauce slightly for a perfect rice complement.

That’s it. Eat it!

OPA!