Fall Curry

Like Borat says, “In my country, we have a problem…” That problem is that people seem to think that pumpkins are only for Halloween, and even then only for Jack-o-lanterns. People make ‘pumpkin pies’ with canned processed pumpkin-product too, but that doesn’t count and is not anything I will address today. I make a killer pumpkin pie from scratch, but have not done so recently. I am lazy.

I love pumpkin as a food, and today at the Dekalb Farmers Market, possibly aka ‘Valhalla,’ I could resist neither the $1.29 ‘pie’ pumpkins, nor the on-sale stewing beef at $2.00 a pound. I also had at home a box of S&B Golden Curry mix (Hot), which I’d been itching to try out. Loosely following the directions on the box, I did the following:

To a large saucepan add:
- One large Vidalia onion, chopped.
- One Serrano pepper, chopped. Actually, I would have preferred more heat: use three.
- One and a half pounds of stewing beef. Next time I may use goat, as its stronger flavor may benefit this dish.
- A drizzle of sesame oil.

Sautee all that until the meat is browned - about 3 minutes. Then, add:
- the meat of one medium ‘pie’ pumpkin (cubed)
- five cups of water
- one cup of beer (I used Kirin Ichiban)
- Some celery salt,
and turn up the heat until the liquid boils. Reduce to a simmer, and stir occasionally until the meat is done and pumpkin is tender (about 13-15 minutes).

Now, remove the pot from the heat, add the curry paste, and stir until it dissolves. Put it back on the burner, and simmer 5-6 minutes more, at which point add a few tablespoons of tapioca starch (or your thickener of choice), stir, and simmer a few minutes more.

Serve over rice…I used brown jasmine, which was lovely.

As I suggested, I think I would have liked this spicier, but that’s a matter of taste, and overall the mix works really well. Using pumpkin this way is exceptionally tasty, and may surprise diners not accustomed to the gourd outside of pies and without candles inside.