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Trini pumpkin talkari
Pumpkin talkari: sweet, garlicky mashed pumpkin curry
A pot of pumpkin talkari is cooked on Divali, at every puja and on plain weekdays all over Trinidad, eaten with sada roti, dhalpuri or as one of the seven curries. The pumpkin is cooked down with a lot of garlic, roasted geera and hot pepper until it collapses into a sweet, savoury mash with no curry powder at all. The usual mistake is adding water, which makes it soupy; the pumpkin's own juice is enough if you keep the lid on. Chef's tip: toast whole cumin seeds in the oil until they crackle and turn brown before the garlic goes in; that roasted geera is the backbone of the dish.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb pumpkinpeeled, cut into 3 cm cubes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (geera)
- 1 onionsliced
- 8 cloves garliccrushed
- ½ scotch bonnet pepperminced
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp amchar masalaopt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds (geera) and let it crackle and darken to brown, about 30 seconds.
Step 2: Add 1 onion and fry for 3 minutes, then 8 cloves garlic and ½ scotch bonnet pepper for 1 minute until golden at the edges.
4 minStep 3: Add 2 ¼ lb pumpkin, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp brown sugar and stir to coat. Cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pumpkin is soft and releasing juice.
15 minStep 4: Uncover and mash roughly with the spoon. Cook for 5 more minutes, stirring, until thick and glossy, with most of the liquid gone. Sprinkle with ½ tsp amchar masala if using and serve.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does trini pumpkin talkari take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds (geera)?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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