Coconut Beef Curry in a Pumpkin #SundayFunday

This week the Sunday Funday bloggers are sharing Spooky Main Dishes with Amy of Amy's Cooking Adventures hosting and Mayuri of Mayuri's Jikoni assisting.

Stacy of Food Lust People Love, Sue of Palatable Pastime, Rebekah of Making Miracles, and Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm coordinate this low-stress group; we only participate when we are inspired. Thanks to Amy for hosting this week. Here's the line-up of spooky main dishes...

• Bloody Eye Balls In Blood Red Tomato Sauce by Sneha's Recipes

• Coconut Beef Curry in a Pumpkin by Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Ghouly Sloppy Joes by Our Good Life

• Mummy Pot Pie by Amy's Cooking Adventures

Coconut Beef Curry in a Pumpkin

Okay, I'll admit that this isn't really a spooky dish, except that the pumpkin I picked is warty! However Halloween is pumpkin season, so I figured that this would suffice. I had also originally planned to make a caprese salad made with molded skull mozzarella. But, as we are in the middle of a heat wave, I couldn't bear to turn on my oven to make the skulls. I will share them before the month's end. I promise.

Ingredients

makes one curry-filled pumpkin (I doubled it for a party, hence the photos with two pumpkins)

Coconut Beef Curry

• 2 pounds beef, cut into bite-sized cubes

• freshly ground salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 Tablespoons chunks

• 1 large onion, peeled and diced (approximately 1-1/2 cups)

• 1 cup diced carrots

• 1 cup diced celery

• 1 Tablespoon grated ginger

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 Tablespoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• 3” stick cinnamon

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1 Tablespoon chili paste (optional)

• 1 cup cubed zucchini

• 1 cup coconut cream

Pumpkin

• 1 organic pumpkin, cleaned with seeds reserved for another use

• 1/2 cup white wine or water

• Also needed: heavy baking sheet

For Serving

• steamed rice

Procedure

Pumpkin

If you are doing this ahead of time, bake the pumpkin, then let it cool and refrigerate it until you're ready to finish making the dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit Cut off the top and scoop out the seeds. Set the seeds aside for a different recipe. Place the pumpkin on a heavy baking sheet and pour 1/2 cup liquid in the bottom. I used leftover white wine, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

Put the pumpkin in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. The pumpkin should be slightly softened but holding its shape.

Coconut Beef Curry

In a large mixing bowl, massage the salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder, and turmeric into the beef cubes. Let stand for 15 minutes.

In a large pot, cook the onions, carrots, celery, ginger, and garlic in 3 Tablespoons butter until softened and the onions begin to turn translucent. Add in the remaining butter and melt. Stir in the garam masala, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and cinnamon stick. Cook until fragrant.

Add the beef to the spiced paste and brown until cooked through, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Add in the chili paste, if using. Whisk to combine. Stir in the zucchini. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes - until the sauce is beginning to thicken. Pour in the coconut cream, whisk to combine, and simmer until that is thickened to your liking.

To Finish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour out the wine from the pumpkin and fill it with your curry. Place the lid back on your pumpkin and place it in the oven. Roast for an additional 30 minutes. The pumpkin flesh should be easily pierced with a fork.

Serve hot with steamed rice on the side. Let diners know they can scoop out some of the pumpkin flesh with their dinner. The pumpkin added a nice sweetness to the spicy dish.

That's a wrap on my spooky main dish. The group will be back next week with a Name Your Poison event hosted by Sue of Palatable Pastime. I can't wait to see all the Halloween-themed libations. Cheers! Stay tuned....