<p>Remember Peter, the pumpkin-eater and Cinderella’s magic coach made of pumpkin? The pumpkin is actually a squash and belongs to the Cucurbita family, which also includes melon and cucumber. The word pumpkin originated from the Greek word pepon, which means, a large melon. The French changed it into pompon which was again changed by the English into pumpion, and finally the Americans turned it into pumpkin. Pumpkins are believed to have originated in Central America. According to legends, Christopher Columbus carried pumpkin seeds back with him to Europe.<br /><br />Pumpkins are of various kinds. To start with, there’s Cucurbita Moschata, a group that is frequently used for commercial canning. Then there is Cucurbita Pepo, the field pumpkins, pie pumpkins and Howden pumpkins, among others. The largest pumpkin ever grown was said to weigh 1,689 pounds.<br /><br />Pie pumpkins which have a sweet taste are the best for cooking. They are also less watery. When selecting a pumpkin, one should look for a stem that is at least one to two inches long. When the stem is cut too low the pumpkin is likely to decay faster. Pumpkins should be solid and heavy. Those that are blemished or have soft spots should be avoided. Normally, a pound of raw pumpkin makes one cup of pumpkin puree.<br /><br />Pumpkins are ideal for the health conscious and for those on a diet as they contain a great deal of water — nearly 90 per cent! Besides, they are loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene, which has been known to help improve the immune function of the body and can reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart ailments. Pumpkins also contain vitamins and nutrients including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, niacin, folate, and Vitamins A, C, and E. A cup of pumpkin contains only 50 calories and 3 grams of fibre.<br /><br />Apart from the various vegetable dishes, pumpkins are used for a large number of delicacies such as breads, butters, soups, muffins, pancakes, waffles, cakes, custards and cookies. It is a great ingredient for making batter-fried bhajis and crispies. And remember, don’t throw away the seeds. Roasted or fried pumpkin seeds are both nutritious and tasty and can be eaten like nuts. Here is how you can do it: <br /><br />Wash the pumpkin seeds thoroughly, using your fingers to remove all the pulp. Drain and spread out on a thali to dry overnight. Put a little butter in a microwave-safe baking dish. Heat it under full blast for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin seeds and toss so that they are coated with the butter and spread evenly. Microwave on high for 7-8 minutes until the seeds are toasted, stirring them every 2 minutes. <br /><br />Here are two popular Indian recipes made with pumpkin:<br /><br />Pumpkin halwa<br /><br />To make halwa (for 8 servings), you will need a kilo of pumpkin, 2 ½ cups of milk, 1½ cups of sugar, 3 tbsps of butter, half a teaspoon of cardamom powder; half a teaspoon of nutmeg powder and a cup of dry fruits (cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts, raisins).<br /><br />Grate the pumpkin and press it down to get rid of the excess water. Heat butter and add the grated pumpkin. Stir for a few minutes and add the milk. Keep stirring until it becomes thick, almost dry, and then add the sugar, cardamom and nutmeg powder. Cook until the sugar melts and add the dry fruits. Serve hot or cold.<br /><br />Pumpkin chutney<br /><br />To make pumpkin chutney, you will need 500 grams of pumpkin, 2 cups of malt vinegar, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon of chilli powder, 2 cardamoms, half a cup of raisins, half a cup of seedless dates and salt to taste.<br /><br />Method: Peel and grate the pumpkin. Cook in water along with dates until the pumpkin chunks turn tender. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, chilli powder and the raisins. Cook this mixture until it becomes thick (ketchup consistency) and slightly golden brown in colour. The chutney is ready to be served. Happy cooking!</p>
<p>Remember Peter, the pumpkin-eater and Cinderella’s magic coach made of pumpkin? The pumpkin is actually a squash and belongs to the Cucurbita family, which also includes melon and cucumber. The word pumpkin originated from the Greek word pepon, which means, a large melon. The French changed it into pompon which was again changed by the English into pumpion, and finally the Americans turned it into pumpkin. Pumpkins are believed to have originated in Central America. According to legends, Christopher Columbus carried pumpkin seeds back with him to Europe.<br /><br />Pumpkins are of various kinds. To start with, there’s Cucurbita Moschata, a group that is frequently used for commercial canning. Then there is Cucurbita Pepo, the field pumpkins, pie pumpkins and Howden pumpkins, among others. The largest pumpkin ever grown was said to weigh 1,689 pounds.<br /><br />Pie pumpkins which have a sweet taste are the best for cooking. They are also less watery. When selecting a pumpkin, one should look for a stem that is at least one to two inches long. When the stem is cut too low the pumpkin is likely to decay faster. Pumpkins should be solid and heavy. Those that are blemished or have soft spots should be avoided. Normally, a pound of raw pumpkin makes one cup of pumpkin puree.<br /><br />Pumpkins are ideal for the health conscious and for those on a diet as they contain a great deal of water — nearly 90 per cent! Besides, they are loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene, which has been known to help improve the immune function of the body and can reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart ailments. Pumpkins also contain vitamins and nutrients including calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium, niacin, folate, and Vitamins A, C, and E. A cup of pumpkin contains only 50 calories and 3 grams of fibre.<br /><br />Apart from the various vegetable dishes, pumpkins are used for a large number of delicacies such as breads, butters, soups, muffins, pancakes, waffles, cakes, custards and cookies. It is a great ingredient for making batter-fried bhajis and crispies. And remember, don’t throw away the seeds. Roasted or fried pumpkin seeds are both nutritious and tasty and can be eaten like nuts. Here is how you can do it: <br /><br />Wash the pumpkin seeds thoroughly, using your fingers to remove all the pulp. Drain and spread out on a thali to dry overnight. Put a little butter in a microwave-safe baking dish. Heat it under full blast for 30 seconds. Add pumpkin seeds and toss so that they are coated with the butter and spread evenly. Microwave on high for 7-8 minutes until the seeds are toasted, stirring them every 2 minutes. <br /><br />Here are two popular Indian recipes made with pumpkin:<br /><br />Pumpkin halwa<br /><br />To make halwa (for 8 servings), you will need a kilo of pumpkin, 2 ½ cups of milk, 1½ cups of sugar, 3 tbsps of butter, half a teaspoon of cardamom powder; half a teaspoon of nutmeg powder and a cup of dry fruits (cashew nuts, almonds, walnuts, raisins).<br /><br />Grate the pumpkin and press it down to get rid of the excess water. Heat butter and add the grated pumpkin. Stir for a few minutes and add the milk. Keep stirring until it becomes thick, almost dry, and then add the sugar, cardamom and nutmeg powder. Cook until the sugar melts and add the dry fruits. Serve hot or cold.<br /><br />Pumpkin chutney<br /><br />To make pumpkin chutney, you will need 500 grams of pumpkin, 2 cups of malt vinegar, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon of chilli powder, 2 cardamoms, half a cup of raisins, half a cup of seedless dates and salt to taste.<br /><br />Method: Peel and grate the pumpkin. Cook in water along with dates until the pumpkin chunks turn tender. Add vinegar, sugar, salt, chilli powder and the raisins. Cook this mixture until it becomes thick (ketchup consistency) and slightly golden brown in colour. The chutney is ready to be served. Happy cooking!</p>
