If you’ve ever thought “Oh my gourd!” about some leftover Kent pumpkin that’s gone soupy in your crisper, you’re not alone. Once you’ve made a batch of pumpkin soup, the remaining wedge tends to languish in the fridge until it becomes squelchy or a little blue around the edges and starts making advances towards the compost.
But if you think of pumpkin as zucchini’s weathered winter cousin, it’s much easier to get creative. Anywhere you’d put grated zucchini, you can sub grated pumpkin – such as in a slice, a muffin or a fritter.
Grating is great for a quick pumpkin dish – instead of waiting for it to soften or roast, the food processor or grater makes breaking down its fibres much speedier. You might even like to try it as a super-quick way of making pumpkin soup if you don’t have time to roast, scoop and blitz.
Pumpkin can also be quickled (quick-pickled) just like zucchini – or any other spongy veg for that matter – by using a hot pickling liquor to accelerate the infusion. Because it’s sweeter, you can ease off on the sugar in the mix and up the spices. I’ve used cumin here, but you could just as easily add coriander seeds or caraway, or whatever whole seeds are to hand.
Free-for-all pumpkin fritters with quickle on spiced couscous – recipe
This pumpkin fritter recipe is a riff on my zucchini fritters, which are gluten, dairy, egg, nut and fuss-free while being downright delish. I’ve added a little spice to keep them interesting for a midweek dinner, but you can simplify to five key ingredients: grated veg, seasoning, chickpea flour, oil for frying and baking powder (or a pinch of bicarb soda instead) for a little lift.
I serve them with couscous, which quickly transforms with a kettle’s worth of water, but you can also serve with a big rocket salad or some rice – even some pumpkin puree if you’re game on a triple threat.
Mint is my preference for soft herb here, but you can also use fresh coriander or dill, or some baby spinach or rocket for a touch of green.
Once you get the hang of these, you can make a bigger batch and freeze – then they’re ready for defrosting overnight so you can grab a couple to go in the mornings, or for a quick and easy dinner. The fritters will last in the fridge for five days or in the freezer for three months.
Makes: 12-15 fritters
¼ pumpkin (approx 900g), grated, reserving ⅓ for the quickle
1 Spanish onion, reserving ¼ for the quickle
1 cup (110g) chickpea (besan) flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp paprika
1½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
3 tbsp olive oil
For the quickled pumpkin
Remaining pumpkin (approx 300g), grated
Remaining ¼ onion, thinly sliced into half-moons with the grain
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
¼ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt flakes
For the spiced chickpea couscous
1 cup (200g) couscous
1 tin (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cracked pepper
¼ bunch of mint, saving ¼ cup leaves for garnish
For the final bits and bobs
½ cups coconut yoghurt (or regular yoghurt, if you’re not veganising)
½ tsp sweet paprika
Reserved mint leaves
Grate the pumpkin on the coarse teeth of a box grater or through your food processor with the coarsest blades. Weigh out 600g of the pumpkin and pop into a colander with a bowl underneath.
Put the remainder into a medium heatproof bowl with a quarter of the sliced onion and reserve for the quickled pumpkin. In a small saucepan combine vinegar, honey, cumin seeds and salt. Bring to a gentle boil and pour over the pumpkin and onion mix. Let the lot sit together in their honey hot tub until ready to serve.
Boil a litre of water and pour over the pumpkin in the colander with a bowl underneath. Drain the pumpkin (reserving the water) and pop this into a medium bowl with three-quarters of a finely sliced (or grated) onion.
Place the couscous in a heatproof bowl with two cups of the reserved hot pumpkin water. Rest a plate over the top and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Scatter chickpea flour over the pumpkin mixture, rubbing it through your fingers to eliminate any lumps (OK, yes, you can sift, but I like to get handsy here). Sprinkle in the baking powder, spices and salt. Stir together with a spatula until well incorporated.
Let it sit for five minutes. Add a tablespoon or so of pumpkin water if you feel it could use a little more gloop (wetter is better than drier here). It should look and feel like chunky frittata batter. If your mix feels a little too loosey-goosey, sprinkle in another tablespoon of chickpea flour.
Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick pan. Once it starts to shimmer, add heaped tablespoons of the pumpkin mix into the pan in a clockwise arrangement so you can remember which needs flipping first.
Flip as the bottoms get golden. Once both sides are cooked, drain on paper towel, sprinkling with salt flakes while still hot.
While the pan is still hot, add one tablespoon of oil along with the chickpeas and spices. Stir about on a medium heat for three to four minutes until the chickpeas are warmed through and turning slightly golden. Don’t have the heat too high as you’ll burn the spices.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork then add in the pumpkin pickle and juices, sauteed chickpeas, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and adjust for seasoning. Stir the mint leaves through just before serving.
Serve with yoghurt, an extra pinch of paprika and extra mint leaves for garnish.
• Alice Zaslavsky is an internationally acclaimed cookbook author and broadcaster based in Melbourne, Australia
