ALL ABOUT PUMPKINS
Fall is the season of vibrant produce. Everywhere you look you see deep, rustic hues; From flaming orange to seductive reds to wicked purples. Pumpkins, apples, onions, eggplants, sweet potato, kale, paler squashes all vie with each other for the eater’s attention. Yet, amidst the riot of colors, there is one that almost effortlessly steals the day.
Pumpkins!
Perhaps, it is that in mirroring the colors of the season in its own shades, it plays the folly of romance to the eater’s eye. There is nary a chance for another vegetable with all the mystery, passion and myth that surrounds this rather humble and sometimes, very ugly vegetable. After all, where else in nature does plump, gnarled and garish stand a chance, much less be so well received, but in the market stands around Fall?!
In fact, if there is one thing that defies natural course of self-selection, it is that uglier the pumpkin, the greater its desirability. Oddly enough, while the marred beauty may be associated with a certain ghoulish attraction, did you know that these same cranks of facade reflect a tastier vegetable? There is much that is not common knowledge about these glorious produce and in this article, we explore some possibly little known facts about the vegetable.
DID YOU KNOW?
PUMPKINS ARE NATIVELY AMERICAN
Pumpkins belong to species of gourds or squashes. While there are 100s of varieties of them grown around the world today, its origin can be traced back North and Central with the first evidence dating back to 5500 BC from Mexico.
PUMPKINS ARE BELIEVED TO BE MAGICAL
In several parts of the world pumpkins are used similar to garlic, to stop the evil eye from falling on the household. In Asia, a new beginning is often commemorated with the breaking of a pumpkin, that being a harbinger of good luck. This belief possibly stems from the real medicinal properties of the plant. It has been used to treat various maladies from minor burns to digestive troubles.
MORE PUMPKIN TRUTHS
PUMPKIN IS A TRUE GLOBAL VEGETABLE
Pumpkin varieties have largely adapted to the region they grow in with the tropical climates exclusively growing the varietals akin to the Summer squashes available in Western markets. India leads the global production of the gourd even though there are limited varieties grown in the country, most not indigenous to the West but available in Asian markets.
EVERY PART OF PUMPKIN PLANT IS EDIBLE
Skins of Winter squashes are tough to protect the seeds against the harsh weather. They are often discarded after cooking as their texture is not attractive. Yet, the skin is not only edible but also a nutritional haven. Some squash skins, like the Acorn squash is particular tasty and lends texture to the dish. Leaves of the plant can be cooked like any other or steeped into tea.
PUMPKINS CAN BE MEAT TENDERIZERS
Pumpkins are often used in stews and curries not only for taste and texture but also for their ability to render cheaper cuts of meat tender. Enzymes in pumpkin break down the rigid tendons of leaner meat making it less toothsome. In fact, cheaper varieties have stronger tenderizing properties and can be used in stews where their lack of flavor is easily masked.
COOKING + BAKING WITH PUMPKINS
Pretty much every variety of squash has its use. Even Jack O’ lanterns popular for Halloween carving pleasure. And, you can use discarded skins to make enriched stock.
RULES OF THUMB FOR BAKING AND COOKING
The best pumpkins for baking and cooking are those with sweet, flavorful flesh and smooth-textured skin. White fleshed and stringy squashes are better cooked and deep hued varieties are better for baking. The latter also tend to have smoother flesh that works well in created silken textures.
By far the most common variety of pumpkin used for baking is the Sugar Pumpkin with its smooth skin and silken flesh. The natural sweetness of the flesh lends well to sweet bakes.
Several other squashes, often roasted or pureed into soup, are also wonderful in bakes. Butternut Squash (try in Bundt cakes) and Japanese Kuri Squash (muffins and pastries) are great examples for this. Spaghetti, Acorn and Delicata squash varieties can also be baked with but are best savored on their own and in savory creations.
Once you have homemade pumpkin puree, there are uses for it in more than pies. From cookies, cakes, biscottis to smoothies the list of sweet creations is endless. On the savory side, use the puree as you would tomato sauce from curries and ragus to pasta base and pizza topping. Pumpkin puree also pairs very well with roast pork and as turkey stuffing where it lends flavor and moisture to the meat.
HOW TO TENDERIZE MEAT
• Use raw pumpkin flesh in an overnight marinade and discard it before cooking.
• Cook good pumpkin with the meat as you would in regular stew or for a long enough time to allow the flesh of the vegetable to melt away into the dish.
• Use bigger and cheaper pumpkins in pureed form to act as tenderizer when cooked with meat.