4 Pumpkin Recipes From Bangladesh (Homeschool Edition)

Guest post by Sumaiya Karim

Homeschool students can enjoy these easy pumpkin recipes that are common to Bangladesh, my home country. Now is pumpkin time, with many of us planning to visit (or have already visited) pumpkin patches in our area.

We all might have plans to make something with pumpkin and share with friends and family. We can also learn about a different part of the world in doing so!

1) Pumpkin Shrimp Curry

A popular dish in Bangladesh, pumpkin shrimp curry is savory and spicy. Feel free to adjust seasonings to your family’s own preferences.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 10-12 shrimp pieces
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup onions
• About 1 cup (200 grams) pumpkin, chopped into bite-size chunks
• Ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin, and ground coriander
• 1 cup water
• 1 medium-size tomato, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add salt to the shrimp and fry for 2 minutes. Take out the shrimp from the pan. Then fry onions until soft. Later add ginger, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Add water and chopped tomato.
2. Add pumpkin. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. When the pumpkin gets soft, add fried shrimp to the curry. Cook it for 10 more minutes. If the curry gets dry, add a little more water. When it’s done, add the chopped cilantro leaves.
3. Serve hot with rice or in a tortilla.

2) Pumpkin Fry

This is extremely easy and fast to make! It’s another one of several popular pumpkin recipes in Bangladesh.

Ingredients:

• 10-12 pieces of thin sliced pumpkin
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Pinch of chilli powder

Instructions:

1. Add salt, chilli powder, and turmeric powder to the sliced pumpkin pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a pan. Fry the pumpkin pieces for 5-6 minutes. When it gets soft, it’s ready to serve with rice.

3) Pumpkin Lentil Soup

Looking for a quick dinner idea that’s perfect for chilly fall nights? Try this simple, tasty soup that can be made in less than an hour!

• 1 cup lentils
• 1/2 onion, chopped or 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 medium-size tomato, sliced
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon of butter

Instructions:

1. Add lentils, onion, and water to a large soup pan. Boil for 10 minutes.
2. Add pumpkin puree and sliced tomato. Cook for 7-8 minutes.
3. Add salt, cumin, garlic, and butter to taste before serving.

4) Pumpkin Spice Latte

Now is the perfect time for homemade spice latte, and pumpkin spice is particularly nice!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons pure pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons sugar or other sweetener
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, plus extra for garnish
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
• Whipped cream

Instructions:

1. Add milk, puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla extract to a large pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
2. Pour the instant coffee powder into a mug. Add milk mixture. Pour whipped cream on top and add a last sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice for a garnish.

Enjoy these pumpkin recipes from Bangladesh in the Kansas City fall, and take a moment to think of children like you in other parts of the world!

We have updated this blog post, originally published in October 2021, for timeliness and detail.

Enjoyed reading this? Try more recipes from Bangladesh with these easy summer drinks!

Sumaiya Karim is from Bangladesh and has a university degree in media studies & journalism, with a major in public relations. She is a social media intern for MPE. Her hobbies include cooking, photography, videography, traveling, and exploring new things.