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Vegan Bites:
Giving Thanks with Pumpkins
by Hope Matthews, illustrated by Joseph Stengal; from the November 2006 newsletter
It’s hard to believe that we’re deep into fall and the threshold of Thanksgiving once again. A cold snap in the air, falling leaves littering sidewalks and yards, warming stews cooking over the stove. Summer is my favorite time of year, but enjoying chilly mornings by warming up with my hands wrapped around a hot cup of tea pleases my soul.
An early indication of cool weather for many Americans is pumpkins. The first appearance of these versatile squash arrive in mid-October, when spooky Jack o’ lanterns grace front porches. By Thanksgiving, everyone is dreaming of pumpkin pie. A tradition in my own home growing up was making pumpkin bread for other family members and friends. A slice of homemade pumpkin bread tastes marvelous with a little margarine.
Last Friday my son and I enjoyed the last of Indian summer by walking around downtown Pullman and visiting the library. Reading our spoils seated outside in the warm, afternoon sun was proof that the simplest things in life are ones in which we can be the most grateful. That day, Soren checked out two Yu-Gi-Oh! mangas (a manga is a Japanese comic) and I checked out Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian cookbook.
Let me start by saying that this is no ordinary cookbook. Really. Its 758 pages not only travel the globe, one recipe at a time, but also explore the virtues and histories of many grains, legumes and vegetables. For example, Jaffrey’s inquiries about the lack of availability of different varieties of pumpkins and winter squashes in American supermarkets were enough to rock the foundations of my own understanding about pumpkins. “Why is it that in a nation where pumpkins perhaps originated and are certainly celebrated, the only access the public has to their flesh is in cans and that too in a mashed form?” Jaffrey writes.
Why indeed? According to Jaffrey, many pumpkins and squash are found year-round in other countries. I sure as heck did not have any idea that different varieties of pumpkins were prepared in other parts of the world, or that they could even be eaten beyond fall! Jaffrey cites Chinese, Indian and Hispanic markets as good sources for finding pumpkins and winter squashes year-round.
One can employ various methods to prepare pumpkin: steaming, stir-frying or boiling. Pumpkin is a staple ingredient in fritters, soups, savory and sweet pies, risottos, breads, pilafs or on its own cooked in spices. Squash-based raviolis are really good with a little sage and olive oil; so pumpkin-based raviolis might be well worth giving a go. Pumpkins, like their other orange-skinned cousins, are nutritionally loaded. Giving thanks to our bodies by partaking in the many joys of pumpkins is a great way to take advantage of nature’s bounty throughout the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving!
Nanna Stengel’s Apple Dumplings (Vegan Style)
Nanna Stengel’s traditional German recipe, adjusted for vegans. A luscious
desert enjoyed steaming hot with milk (any preferred version is appropriate)
poured on top.
3 Granny Smith apples
1 tablespoon grated cinnamon stick (1 1/2 tablespoon powder works fine as well)
2 uncooked pie crusts (use your favorite vegan brand or make your own)
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 heaping tablespoons margarine (Earth Balance is a fine brand)
Peel the skin off of the apples, and then de-core each. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Roll the peeled apple around in the cinnamon-sugar mix. Stick a heaping tablespoon of margarine in the center of each apple. Put the room-temperature crusts on the counter. Take an apple and place it in the center of the crust. Wrap the apple completely with the crust and pinch it together at the top. Pat some cinnamon-sugar onto the crust, then repeat with the other two apples. Place each apple with the pinched-side down in a bread pan. Cook at 375 degrees F until crispy on the outside, but soft enough on the inside so that you can stick a toothpick easily through the apple. Takes about 45-60 minutes, depending on your stove. Let cool down about 10-20 minutes before eating.
Pumpkin Fritters
From Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian
For this dish, I used a section of pumpkin that weighed 1 1/2 pounds. After removing the seeds and peeling it, I was left with 1 pound of flesh. Any orange-fleshed squash such as Hubbard or butternut may be used instead of pumpkin.
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon salt
peanut or canola oil for shallow frying
1 lb. orange pumpkin flesh, coarsely grated
1/2 medium-small onion, peeled and cut into very fine rings
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Put the chickpea flour, rice flour, baking soda, turmeric, cayenne and salt into a bowl. Slowly add water (you will need about 7 ounces, plus another tablespoon), mixing as you go, to make a smooth batter of medium thickness.
Just before you get ready to eat, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into a large frying pan and set it over medium-low heat. Wait until the oil is hot; this can take several minutes. Stir the batter and put in the grated pumpkin, sliced onion and sesame seeds. Mix gently. Now pick up a handful of the pumpkin mixture, enough to make a patty about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1/2 inch thick on the palm of one hand. Slide this patty into the hot oil. Make several such patties, just enough to fill the frying pan in a single layer. Fry the patties for about 3 1/2 minutes on one side. Turn them over and cook for another 3 1/2 minutes on the second side, or until reddish-brown and crisp. Remove with slotted spoon and set down on paper towels to drain. Make all patties this way and serve as soon as possible. Serves 6.
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