It’s Halloween this Saturday and to mark this spooky pagan festival, why not get into the kitchen and rustle up some freaky food?

No Halloween is quite the same without a scary face carved out of a pumpkin, but what do you do with the unwanted fleshy insides of the vegetable?

Well pumpkin is an extremely versatile squash and can be used to make a delicious soup, or even a curry if you’re feeling adventurous.

The recipes for both of these can be found below.


Pumpkin Soup

2 tbsp butter
2 onions, finely chopped
1kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
700ml vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
140ml double cream
Handful pumpkin seeds
Natural yoghurt to serve
Heat the butter in a large saucepan, then gently cook the onions for 5 minutes, until soft. Add the pumpkin, then carry on cooking for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the pumpkin starts to soften and turn golden.

Pour the stock into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the squash is very soft. Pour in the cream, bring back to the boil, then purée with a hand blender.

In a separate pan, gently fry the pumpkin seeds for 2-3 minutes until toasted. Sprinkle on top of the soup when serving, together with a swirl of yoghurt.


Chicken and Pumpkin Curry
This is a delicious way to use up any excess pumpkin and, if you are vegetarian, simply substitute the chicken with more pumpkin or two aubergines, cut into chunks.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp Thai red curry paste
400ml tin coconut milk
400g pumpkin, peeled and cubed
2 large chicken breasts, cut into cubes
250g cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 star anise
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 lime cut into slices (to serve)
1 small handful of basil or coriander
Heat some oil in a pan and add the curry paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring so it doesn’t burn.

Add the onion and chicken and fry for a further 3 minutes, until the chicken is sealed.

Then add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer.

After five minutes add the pumpkin and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Add the cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, star anise and lime leaves and simmer for another 2 minutes.

Just before serving sprinkle in the herbs.

Serve with rice and a slice of lime.