Widely available around the world, pumpkin (scientific name: cucurtiba) occurs in an assortment of shapes, sizes and colours. Recipes that feature pumpkin are often ubiquitous in personalized family cookbooks from around the world. Either as the star of the dish, or while playing the part of a reliable and supporting side, pumpkin lends a range of culinary versatility allowing for it to be celebrated by chefs, homecooks and amateurs alike.
Seeds sprinkled on top of salads and smoothies, consumed as soups and stews in all its roasted fleshy glory, or massacred into being a spooky, decorative jack ‘o’ lantern: the pumpkin remains a unique and invaluable fruit, bursting with fibre and nutrients.
People often compare (and even confuse) pumpkins to gourds and squash, since they are part of the same cucurbitaceae family. However, the main differences pertain to variations in size, shape, color, and use. Generally, pumpkins are larger and rounder with a hard, thick skin and fibrous flesh that tends to be densely textured and sweet.
As a result, they are ideal as an ingredient in warm, winter dishes as well as in desserts (which explains their popularity as the main ingredient in pumpkin pie in the USA, nowadays even encountered as a latte spice mix!). Pumpkin is rich in carbohydrates, minerals, and carotenoids. Smaller pumpkins tend to be sweeter and less fibrous than larger ones, but all are extremely nutritious (high in vitamins and minerals), and relatively low calorie.
Due to its versatility, pumpkin is present in a range of both sweet and savory dishes such as pies, soups, and roasts. In addition to its unique texture and taste, it is an exceptional source of vitamin A, and is beneficial for eye health. It is very rich in powerful antioxidants known as carotenoids, and contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which help to protect against age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration.
Native to the Americas, pumpkins are among the oldest domesticated plants in existence, used by humans in present day USA and northeastern Mexico since approximately 7,000 to 5,500 BC. Due to the plant’s relative resilience to weather events like flooding, heat or frost, pumpkin is a staple crop in many regions of the world.
In the 1500s, it was Sephardic Jewish communities that carried the pumpkin from the New World to Europe. Pumpkins are symbolically eaten and used decoratively during festivals like Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) supposedly because their thick skin protects them from harm and dominant bright, orange color culturally symbolizes happiness and prosperity.
Pumpkin is also referred to as a food that the Prophet Muhammad liked to eat, and supposedly helped Prophet Yunus recover from skin sores. Thus, in many muslim traditions, pumpkins as a food can help with digestion as well as form a part of a healing remedy.
In Christian traditions, the process of carving a pumpkin relates to spiritual transformation. Pumpkins even feature prominently during Hindu festivals such as Diwali, Onam, and Dussehra, as they represent abundance, good fortune, and family unity. Again, they are both used decoratively, and as a core food ingredient during these celebrations. For instance, Eeriseri — a coconut-based pumpkin stew — is a key part of the Onam Sadya feast in South India.
During the festival of Dussehra, pumpkins are often broken outside of homes, businesses, and vehicles to dispel evil and to promote auspiciousness (much like coconuts, which are similarly used).[1] In desi cuisine, pumpkin is frequently encountered as an everyday food: in raita (mixed into yoghurt) or as dry sabzi (cooked with spices).
Pumpkin dishes are also common in Chinese cuisine, particularly in the fall and winter, as they have a warming effect on the body. In traditional Chinese medicine they are used to treat digestive issues and build up immunity.[2]
In North America, pumpkins are associated with fall festivals like Thanksgiving. In the Southern Hemisphere, pumpkins are often harvested in autumn (which corresponds to spring in the North).
In Central and South America, pumpkin has been cultivated for over 8,000 years. It is frequently used in traditional soups and ceviche-like stews in Brazil, Argentina as well as in Peru. In Latin American countries, pumpkins are known by the Spanish word zapallo; there is a special Cuban variety referred to as calabazo.
In the Caribbean, they grow all year round and are used in local dishes such as Jamaican pumpkin curry and soups. They are also commonly found in parts of South and Southeast Asia, like in India (known as kaddu) and also in Thailand.
You will even find pumpkins as a stand out ingredient on menus across Russia and the Middle East (particularly with trends towards vegetarianism and veganism. Basically, pumpkins are almost everywhere)!
Since it is a food ingredient in many cultures, it is somewhat of an heirloom ingredient, i.e. always part of special or personal recipes that are handed down over generations..
Interestingly, with regards to food, the term heirloom emerges in a manner which connects foodies as well as farmers specifically in the Western world. Specifically, foods were oriented around ingredients that were seasonally available. For farmers and people that have grown their own foods an heirloom variant would mean one that is not commonly used in modern large-scale agriculture and is perhaps not disease resistant as a result of not being a hybrid plant.
The term heirloom is commonly thrown around to refer to recipe and even seeds and spices. As a result, perhaps family heirloom recipes are more than just dishes; they are a bridge between the past, present, and future which incorporate unique ingredients that are often homegrown. And as a result, they are a form of nourishment that can connect people to their histories. Many varieties of vegetables and fruits are heirlooms i.e. old, open-pollinated varieties that have survived over generations. In some sense, they are living artifacts and evidence of history which contain within them genetic diversity.
In addition to being an ingredient of cultural and culinary significance across regions, pumpkin seeds are noteworthy: nutritionally dense, packed with vitamins and minerals, as well as oils and proteins. Referred to as pepitas in Mexico, They are high in polyunsaturated fats which are healthy. They are thus used in a variety of dishes around the world, adding a crunch, texture and flavour.
Eaten by themselves, they are a nutritious snack containing essential omega-6 and omega-3 fats, which are crucial for brain and for heart health. Pumpkin seeds are much richer in iron than other seeds, and provide an excellent source of minerals like manganese, magnesium and phosphorus. They contain tryptophan, which is required by the body to produce serotonin and melatonin: the hormones that govern mood and regulate sleep patterns.
In Native American traditions, pumpkin seeds are used to treat urinary tract issues. These seeds have also traditionally been used to rid the body of intestinal parasites like tapeworm. Research in recent years has sought to explore steroids in these seeds to treat prostate disorders.
This wonderful ingredient and its seeds deserve attention. Send us your recipes, or consider designing your own custom cookbook to immortalize it along with your family’s culinary heritage!
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