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Pumpkin Curry

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stews•sri lankan•vegan, gluten-free
45 minutes•4 servings•

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pumpkin – peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 stick cinnamon stick – 2-inch piece
  • 12 leaves curry leaves
  • 8 ounces onion – thinly sliced (~1.5 medium onions)
  • 4 cloves garlic – minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger – minced
  • 2 chilies green chilies – slit lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon Sri Lankan roasted curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 cup water
  • 13 1/2 ounces coconut milk (unsweetened, canned)
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
Pumpkin Curry

Instructions

1. Prep the pumpkin by peeling, seeding, and cutting it into 1-inch cubes. Thinly slice the onion and mince the garlic and ginger. Slit the green chilies lengthwise.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle, 30–45 seconds.

3. Stir in the fenugreek seeds, cinnamon stick, and curry leaves; cook until fragrant, 30–45 seconds.

4. Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, 5–7 minutes.

5. Add the minced garlic, minced ginger, and slit green chilies; cook until aromatic, 1–2 minutes.

6. Sprinkle in the Sri Lankan roasted curry powder, ground turmeric, and red chili powder; stir constantly to bloom the spices, 30 seconds.

7. Add the pumpkin, kosher salt, and water. Stir to coat, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over medium-low until the pumpkin is just tender when pierced but not falling apart, 12–15 minutes, stirring once or twice.

8. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer uncovered until the sauce turns creamy and slightly thickened, 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

9. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes to settle before serving.

Pumpkin curry is a warmly spiced, coconut-rich stew where sweet, tender pumpkin meets a fragrant base of toasted spices and aromatics. The sauce is creamy but not heavy, letting the natural sweetness of the squash balance gentle heat from chilies and the earthy depth of roasted curry powder. It’s comforting, economical, and deeply satisfying spooned over rice or alongside flatbreads.

In Sri Lanka, pumpkin curry (often called wattakka curry) is a household staple, part of everyday rice-and-curry spreads. The dish draws on hallmark Sri Lankan techniques like tempering whole spices and perfuming the pot with curry leaves, fenugreek, and true cinnamon. Over time, families have adapted it to local pumpkins and personal heat levels, but the core idea—coconut, spice bloom, and softly simmered squash—remains consistent and cherished.