Sri Lankan Pumpkin Curry

1940's wisdom from my grandmother

This really is becoming more of a food blog and less of a chiropractic one isn't it? Oh well!
For Christmas last year my mum gave me my grandmothers cookbook. Printed in 1942, the Daily News Cookery Book was every housewives best friend. My favourite part of it are the newspaper clippings and recipe sheets from the housewives association my grandmother belonged to, each with handy tips on how to keep a spotless house, entertain guests and still keep your husband happy. Things that are still important to be a good wife, along with holding down a high power job, dressing to kill and leaping tall buildings in a single bound.
The recipes in this book make me feel at home. Traditionally each Sri Lankan woman cooks differently and no two family recipes are remotely the same. This curry is my favourite, although here in Ireland pumpkin isn't a popular vegetable, they only grow it for pig food and for halloween. Still, I made this for husband and Australian friend the first and they loved it.


Sri Lankan Pumpkin Curry
Recipe adapted from the 1942 edition of the Daily News Cookery Book

1kg Pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and chopped into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp salt
2 stems of curry leaves
1 1/2 tsp seeded mustard
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbs turmeric
2 green chillis chopped
2 small red onions diced
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp mustard seeds
a little oil (coconut or sunflower)
1 can coconut milk (this was too rich for me, next time i will use half water)

In a bowl, combine pumpkin, salt, mustard and turmeric. Put to one side.
Fry the onion in the oil till beginning to colour, add garlic, curry leaves, mustard seeds and chilli, fry till seeds begin to pop.
Add pumpkin and stir to coat with oil, onion and spices.
Add coconut milk and cover. Cook till pumpkin is soft, add a little water if the curry appears dry. Serve with steamed basmati rice.