Thursday, November 15, 2012

How to Make Pumpkin Puree? [Stove-top method]


It is only recently that I have started using pumpkins more often. I have always liked it as a child and made no fuss eating them, when mum made them. But somehow, in my own kitchen, I have not cooked with pumpkins until a few months back.

Pumpkin is nutritious vegetable that has a sweet flavour to it. And the options to cook with them is endless. My favourite till now has been a simple tempered pumpkin side dish to go with Rice and dal. But after I dished out a healthy Spinach and Pumpkin Pasta, this is definitely the top on the list :) The succulent flavour of pumpkin puree I used for this pasta, made me love the veggie more.

When I made this for the first time, I searched the net for method to puree the pumpkin and found most of them gave the microwave method to do it. It sounded easy, but I wanted a stove top method. I experimented using a pressure cooker and was mighty glad with the output :)




Raw pumpkin slice

  • Cut the pumpkin into manageable pieces. About the size that would fit comfortably into your pressure cooker.

Immerse in water and pressure cook for 10 mins

  • Lay them inside the pressure cooker and fill with water until the pieces are completely immersed.
  • Pressure cook for about 5 minutes on medium flame, without the whistle on. (like you would make idlies).
  • After 5 minutes, check if the pumpkin pieces are soft at the touch of a fork. Poke the fork at random spots of the pumpkin pieces, the fork should poke in easily.
  • If its not cooked yet, allow to pressure cook for another 5 minutes. 


Boiled pumpkin pieces

  • Once cooked, drain out the water and transfer the pieces into a bowl.

Scoop out the pumpkin pulp

  • Using a spoon, scoop out the pumpkin pulp off the skin.

Discard the skin

  • After all of the pumpkin pulp has been scooped out clean off the skin, discard the skin.


Mash the pulp in to a smooth puree
  • Using a spoon, mash the pumpkin pulp into a fine puree, free of any lumps.
  • You can store this in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or use it immediately.
Suggested Recipes: Spinach and Pumpkin Pasta

11 comments:

  1. neat presentation.. well explained..

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  2. nice post...thanks for sharing...

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  3. Nan I have baked puree but never knew this can be pressure cooked :)

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  4. very useful post.
    http://realhomecookedfood.blogspot.com

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  5. Thanks for sharing this informative post & perfectly described too!

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  6. very helpful nan! I used to sit and cut the pieces of pumpkin and discard the skin!....how painful!

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