Pumpkin in Coconut Milk

     In Thailand, pumpkins are available year round where in the US you can only enjoy them in fall. This will make a nice warm dessert in the fall.

     Many Thai desserts involve cooking rice, sticky rice or flour in sugar and coconut milk. However, pumpkin in coconut milk belongs to a class of dessert called 'gang buad', which refers to cooking vegetables, legumes or fruits in coconut milk with sugar.

1    cup    water   
1/2    teaspoon    salt   
2    cups    pumpkin   
1/3    cup    palm sugar   
1/2    cup    coconut milk     

     Skin the pumpkin, remove the seeds and julienne into pieces of 2" x ½" x ½".

     Add water and coconut milk to a pot and heat over low heat. Add salt. I would recommend adding half of the sugar and tasting before adding more. If you find it to be too sweet, add more water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the pumpkin. Let it boil and let the pumpkin cook. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

     The key to this dish is using thin coconut milk. The top layer of coconut milk or cream will curdle when boiled. If your coconut milk is creamy, dilute it with water.