Hobby cook says pumpkin can be added to almost any dish

Pumpkin adds colour and a smooth texture to food without a strong pumpkin taste, hobby cook Kai-Ines Nelson told ERR’s Terevisioon television programme. She urged people not to throw away pumpkins left after Halloween, describing them as a valuable crop.

Nelson said pumpkin became widely used in the 19th century. In Tudor-era England, she added, it was an exotic dish served to wealthy diners. She joked that without Irish and Scottish immigrants moving to the United States, people might still be carving turnips, beetroot or potatoes.

On the programme, Nelson made chicken tikka masala with chicken thighs, clarified butter, garlic, red onion, pumpkin, water and a shop-bought tikka masala spice mix. She said the dish, which she described as a British favourite developed in Scotland in the 1970s, can be served with Greek yoghurt and grated cheese, in a taco, wrap or sandwich, or with buckwheat porridge or rice.

Nelson’s tip is to add pumpkin to favourite dishes. She suggested mixing pumpkin purée into mashed potatoes and said pumpkin is easy to prepare by boiling it in a little water and blending it. She advised keeping the cooking water, which she also described as valuable.

Nelson said pumpkin can also be used in pancakes, adding that it gives food a soft, silky texture and an appealing colour. She said she uses two eggs and flour to taste with 200 grams of ricotta cheese. She also said pumpkin is good for eyesight and digestion.