“Pumpkin Takes Centre Stage: Indo-Caribbean Recipes for Autumn” is not merely an ode to the humble gourd — it’s a full-on culinary celebration. When the chill of autumn sweeps through the UK, and supermarkets brim with orange, green, and golden squashes, Indo-Caribbean kitchens come alive with comforting pots of curry, stews, and fritters infused with the sunshine of the islands. The pumpkin may be a symbol of the season in Britain, but across the Caribbean, it’s a staple of daily life — sweet, savoury, spicy, and always soul-warming.
From the bustling markets of Port of Spain to the homely kitchens of Brixton and Birmingham, pumpkin has long held pride of place in Indo-Caribbean cooking. Its velvety texture, mild sweetness, and ability to soak up bold flavours make it a true shape-shifter, as good in a curry as in a cake. And this autumn, it’s time to let pumpkin take centre stage on your UK dining table too.
A Pumpkin by Any Other Name
Before diving into recipes, it’s worth noting that when Indo-Caribbean cooks say “pumpkin,” they don’t mean just any Halloween carving variety. They’re talking about West Indian pumpkin — rich, dense, and slightly sweet, with a deep orange flesh that turns buttery when cooked. If you can’t find that exact variety in your local supermarket, don’t fret. Butternut squash or kabocha are fine substitutes for UK kitchens. The important thing is to capture that balance between sweetness and savoury depth — the hallmark of Caribbean comfort food.
In the UK, we often think of pumpkin as a sidekick, something to purée into soup or carve into spooky grins. In the Caribbean, however, it’s a star ingredient, featured in recipes that range from street food stalls to Sunday lunch tables.
The Indo-Caribbean Pumpkin Heritage
Pumpkin travelled with Indian indentured labourers to the Caribbean in the 19th century, becoming a bridge between cultures. In India, pumpkin (kaddu) was already used in curries and sweet dishes. On Caribbean soil, it met Scotch bonnet peppers, thyme, and coconut milk — a marriage of flavours that still defines the Indo-Caribbean kitchen today.
This fusion of spice and sweetness gave rise to some of the Caribbean’s most beloved pumpkin dishes. In Trinidad and Tobago, pumpkin tarkari (a dry, spiced pumpkin curry) is as common as rice itself. In Guyana, pumpkin and spinach stews make hearty, vegan-friendly meals. Across the islands, pumpkin slips effortlessly into rotis, fritters, soups, and even desserts — a true culinary chameleon.
And in 2025 Britain, where Caribbean and South Asian food traditions continue to shape the modern table, pumpkin offers the perfect way to warm up a chilly evening with a dish that tells a story of migration, adaptation, and joy.
Recipe 1: Pumpkin Tarkari
If there’s one Indo-Caribbean pumpkin dish that every cook should master, it’s Pumpkin Tarkari. Served alongside roti, rice, or dhal, it’s a silky, spiced comfort food that requires minimal fuss but delivers maximum satisfaction.
Ingredients:
- 500g pumpkin (or butternut squash), peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (optional, or replace with a mild chilli for less heat)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- Salt to taste
- A handful of chopped coriander leaves or chadon beni (cilantro) for garnish
Method:
- Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle until fragrant.
- Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until golden.
- Stir in the diced pumpkin, turmeric, coriander, salt, and chilli.
- Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally. The pumpkin will soften and start to melt into a luscious mash.
- When it reaches a buttery consistency, remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Serve it hot with roti, or spoon it over rice with a side of dhal. It’s vegan, budget-friendly, and gloriously autumnal, the kind of meal that makes the house smell like home.
UK Tip: If you’re using supermarket butternut squash, add a splash of water to help it break down faster. And don’t throw away the seeds, roast them with a little salt and cumin for a snack while you wait for dinner.
Recipe 2: Pumpkin and Chana Curry
When pumpkin meets chickpeas, magic happens. This dish, common in both Trinidad and Guyana, strikes the perfect balance between creamy and hearty — ideal for a weekday dinner that feels like Sunday lunch.
Ingredients:
- 400g cooked chickpeas (or tinned, rinsed)
- 300g pumpkin, diced
- 2 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 200ml coconut milk
- Fresh coriander for garnish
- Oil, salt, and black pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat oil in a deep pan and add onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until fragrant.
- Stir in curry powder and cumin, let it bloom in the oil for about 30 seconds.
- Add tomato, pumpkin, and chickpeas, stirring well to coat everything in the spices.
- Pour in the coconut milk and simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and the sauce thickens.
- Season with salt and pepper, and finish with fresh coriander.
This is a hearty, comforting curry that pairs beautifully with paratha or basmati rice. It’s proof that you don’t need meat to make a dish that fills your belly and your soul.
Recipe 3: Pumpkin Fritters
Pumpkin fritters, or pholourie-style bites with a twist, are the Indo-Caribbean answer to the British autumn craving for something warm and fried. Crisp on the outside, soft and golden within — they’re addictive and perfect with a cup of tea (or a splash of rum punch, no judgement here).
Ingredients:
- 250g pumpkin, grated
- 150g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 egg (optional)
- 2 tbsp sugar (for sweet fritters) or ½ tsp salt (for savoury ones)
- Oil for frying
Method:
- Mix all ingredients into a thick batter.
- Heat oil in a deep pan until shimmering.
- Drop spoonfuls of batter and fry until golden brown on both sides.
- Drain on kitchen paper and enjoy hot.
For savoury fritters, serve with a chutney or tamarind sauce. For sweet ones, dust with icing sugar or drizzle with condensed milk — a nod to every Caribbean grandmother who believed everything tastes better with “a lil’ milk.”
Pumpkin in Sweets — When Autumn Meets Diwali
Autumn is also a festive season in Indo-Caribbean communities — a time when kitchens are filled with the aroma of cardamom, ghee, and sugar. Pumpkin often finds its way into mithai and puddings, adding a golden hue and natural sweetness.
A popular treat is Pumpkin Pone, a dense, coconut-and-spice cake often made in Trinidad and Tobago. It’s sticky, rich, and comforting — a cousin of bread pudding, but with more personality.
Quick Pumpkin Pone Recipe:
- Grate 300g pumpkin, mix with 200ml coconut milk, 100g grated coconut, 75g sugar, a splash of vanilla essence, and 1 tsp mixed spice.
- Pour into a greased baking dish and bake at 180°C for about 40–45 minutes.
- Serve warm or chilled.
The result? A dessert that bridges the worlds of Caribbean indulgence and British pudding culture — ideal for Sunday lunch or Diwali celebrations.
The Nutritional Side of Pumpkin
Beyond its cultural significance, pumpkin is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s rich in beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, and fibre, which makes it perfect for colder months when immunity needs a boost. Caribbean diets, though known for bold flavours, are often rooted in whole foods and seasonal produce, something the UK is increasingly embracing.
In a time when sustainability and plant-based eating are taking centre stage, pumpkin fits right in. It’s local, affordable, and endlessly versatile. It’s also a beautiful reminder that good food doesn’t have to be complicated; it just has to be cooked with heart.
Pumpkin in the Diaspora — A Taste of Home
For many Indo-Caribbean families in the UK, cooking pumpkin is an act of memory. It evokes backyards with banana trees, the smell of woodsmoke, and voices calling “Roti ready!” from the kitchen. Now, it’s a bridge between generations, a dish that connects Londoners to Georgetown and Leicester families to San Fernando.
When autumn leaves start to fall, Indo-Caribbean cooks don’t mourn summer; they welcome the season with pumpkin curry bubbling on the stove. It’s how diaspora living turns nostalgia into nourishment.
Modern Twists: Pumpkin Meets the UK Kitchen
As Caribbean cuisine continues to influence British food culture, chefs are finding new ways to showcase pumpkin’s versatility. You might discover pumpkin dal soup with jerk croutons in Shoreditch cafés, or pumpkin curry pies at Caribbean Street markets in Manchester.
Even home cooks are experimenting — blending pumpkin into macaroni pie for creaminess, adding it to Sunday pelau for colour, or folding it into spice cakes with Caribbean rum buttercream.
The beauty of Indo-Caribbean cooking lies in its adaptability. It’s never frozen in time — it evolves, travels, and thrives wherever it lands. And in autumn 2025, it’s thriving right here in Britain.
Bringing It All Together!
“Pumpkin Takes Centre Stage: Indo-Caribbean Recipes for Autumn” is more than a nod to seasonal cooking — it’s a celebration of identity, warmth, and the rhythm of heritage that lives on through every simmering pot. For the Indo-Caribbean diaspora, food is memory and migration, carried in the scent of cumin, coconut, and roasted pumpkin — proof that home can be recreated wherever the heart and the heat meet.
As autumn rolls across the UK with golden leaves and woolly jumpers, let your kitchen hum with a little Caribbean mischief. Let a bubbling curry take you to Port of Spain, a slice of pumpkin pone recall your grandmother’s kitchen in Georgetown, and a spoonful of dhal-pumpkin remind you that even under London drizzle, the Caribbean sun still lingers.
This season, give your pumpkin the spotlight it deserves — roast it, mash it, curry it, fold it into roti, or bake it into something that smells like nostalgia. Follow CurryBien for more stories, recipes, and reflections that celebrate Indo-Caribbean life in the UK — where our food, like our people, keeps blending tradition with tomorrow.
