Caribbean Pumpkin Curry (Curry Pumpkin)

A delicious combination of pumpkin, sweet potato, tofu and a medley of vegetables cooked in a creamy coconut sauce. One taste of this vegan curry will immediately transport you to the beautiful Caribbean islands.

As the temperature is set to decline in the UK, right now couldn't be more befitting to unleash this Caribbean style curry.

While it's cold outside, with the temptation to hibernate until summertime (wishful thinking on my part) let me move your thoughts to the recipe in hand.

Caribbean pumpkin curry or as we would say "curry pumpkin" is a taste of a number of Caribbean islands that will blow your mind. This recipe is a modified version of the previous one tweaking some of the ingredients and the cooking method.

I purposely used tofu as opposed to peas (beans) i.e kidney etc.. because they are so commonplace in most Caribbean recipes especially the plant based ones so I wanted to use something else that is equally as filling.

Just a reminder, if you have been following my Caribbean recipes then you will know that the name of recipes sometimes need to be adjusted to meet the approval of the Google gods i.e beef stew, beef curry etc...

I always like to put that disclaimer out there in case one of my Caribbean readers from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago etc... reads the recipe title and questions it but this is also highlighted in my Caribbean Food 101 article too.

If you haven't sampled Caribbean food, then why not try this Caribbean dish. I still find it ironic that Caribbean cuisine is gravely misunderstood and it grieves me to hear some of the responses from others about what is Caribbean food?

Contrary to popular belief, there's more to the Caribbean than Roti, Jerk Chicken, Rice and Peas, Conch and Goat meat. We like to eat vegetarian food too and just like and other ethnic group, you'll find a host of vegetarian and vegans.

A good a few examples of my vegan recipes are my  Gungo peas curry  , Channa and aloo, Curry Jackfruit Run Down and my infamous Plantain Curry (Curry Plantain) just to name a few. 

Reasons to make this curry dish

• Great if you enjoy Caribbean recipes/flavours
• Perfect for any die hard curry fans
• It's a freezer friendly recipe.
• You can carry over any left overs 
• It's vegan and gluten free
• Use tofu as a plant based meat substitute i.e Tofu Scramble

The steps

• Add the olive oil to a skillet/frying pan on medium heat then saute the onion, garlic, ginger, scallion and bell peppers until soft and fragrant.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, thyme, shado beni, curry powder, scotch bonnet and black pepper to the skillet then stir and combine.

• Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, cho cho/christophine tofu along with the tomato paste, tamarind paste and bay leaves.
• Finally add the coconut milk and then carefully fold into the rest of the ingredients.
• Bring the pan to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
• Leave to simmer 40 - 45 minutes or until the sauce has thicken
• Once finished add the pink salt to taste and discard the thyme stems/bay leaves.

Where can you buy scotch bonnet?

You can purchase scotch bonnet from Caribbean/African markets. Sometimes commercial supermarkets like Asda carry it. 

If you can't obtain scotch bonnet use habanero or chillies instead.

Where do you buy Caribbean sweet potatoes?

Again, you need to head to a neighbourhood/marketplace that has a high population of Caribbean people. You are looking for potatoes with red skin and a creamy interior. They are not the same as sweet potato yams that bare an orange flesh.

Can you freeze this recipe?

I would try to avoid doing so if possible simply because the texture of the tofu becomes more spongy and will absorb the curry sauce. If you don't mind the change in texture then go ahead and freeze but this recipe holds up a lot more when eaten from fresh

What you serve this curry with?

Brown Rice, quinoa, Baked Plantain, or even Rice and Peas.

Notes and tips

• If best results consume the curry within 2-3 days, it holds up best if not frozen.
• Caribbean people use mostly use calabaza pumpkin not the regular sugar pumpkin. If you can't obtain that just use butternut squash instead.
• If you don't want to use tofu try jackfruit, peas (beans) or oyster mushrooms instead.
• Make sure the tofu you are using is extra firm and discard the liquid that it's packaged in.
• Be sure to use my home Jamaican Curry Powder or My Colombo Curry Powder for this recipe.
• To save some time you may want to chop and peel all of the vegetables the night before prior to preparing the curry
• Use cilantro/coriander if you can't obtain any shado beni, it's less pungent but very similar.
• If you don't care for any heat either only use the skin of a scotch bonnet or not at all.
• Use zucchini if you can't get hold of cho cho/christophine some regions know if as chayote/mirliton

Drinks to serve with

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Caribbean Pumpkin Curry (Curry Pumpkin)

This how to make the ultimate one pan Caribbean style curry with pumpkin and a medley of vegetables with tofu pieces.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Entree

Cuisine: Caribbean

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Charla

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tbsp of curry powder see post for recipe
• ▢ 2 cups of pumpkin chopped and peeled
• ▢ 1 medium sweet potato chopped
• ▢ 1 cho cho/christophine chopped
• ▢ 1 block of extra firm tofu chopped, see notes for alternatives
• ▢ 1 small onion chopped
• ▢ 2 scallions (chives) chopped
• ▢ 4 garlic cloves chopped
• ▢ ½ tbsp ginger minced
• ▢ 1 large tomato chopped
• ▢ 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tbsp chado beni/cilantro dried or chopped
• ▢ 1 can of coconut milk (2 cups/400ml)
• ▢ 6 thyme sprigs
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil
• ▢ 1 tsp Black pepper and Himalayan pink salt to taste
• ▢ 1 scotch bonnet chopped, skip or only use the skin if you don't want the heat level

Instructions

• Add the olive oil to a skillet/frying pan on medium heat then saute the onion, garlic, ginger, scallion and bell peppers until soft and fragrant.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, thyme, shado beni, curry powder, scotch bonnet and black pepper to the skillet then stir and combine.
• Add the pumpkin, sweet potato, cho cho/christophine tofu along with the tomato paste, tamarind paste and bay leaves.
• Finally add the coconut milk and then carefully fold into the rest of the ingredients.
• Bring the pan to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
• Leave to simmer 40 - 45 minutes or until the sauce has thicken.
• Once finished add the pink salt to taste and discard the thyme stems/bay leaves.

Notes

• If best results consume the curry within 2-3 days, it holds up best if not frozen.
• Caribbean people use mostly use calabaza pumpkin not the regular sugar pumpkin. If you can't obtain that just use butternut squash instead.
• If you don't want to use tofu try jackfruit, peas (beans) or oyster mushrooms instead.
• Make sure the tofu you are using is extra firm and discard the liquid that it's packaged in.
• Be sure to use my home Jamaican Curry Powder or My Colombo Curry Powder for this recipe.
• To save some time you may want to chop and peel all of the vegetables the night before prior to preparing the curry
• Use cilantro/coriander if you can't obtain any shado beni, it's less pungent but very similar.
• If you don't care for any heat either only use the skin of a scotch bonnet or not at all.
• Use zucchini if you can't get hold of cho cho/christophine some regions know if as chayote/mirliton

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 887mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 13396IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 6mg

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