By Amal Al-Sibai
Saudi Gazette
The aroma of the seasonal pumpkin spice latte surrounds me the minute I step into a coffee shop, bright orange pumpkins decorate the doorsteps of houses in my neighborhood, local farms are displaying signs “Pick your own pumpkin”, and all I can think of is Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
It was one of Prophet Muhammad’s favorite foods, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
He was not a ravenous eater; days could go by with nothing to eat in his home except a few dates or simply bread and oil. It was not uncommon for him to come home and find no food to eat, and he ate moderately when there was food. He never said that he disliked or hated a certain food. That is a lesson to all finicky eaters out there, to always express gratitude to Allah for the abundance of food that we have and not to wrinkle our noses over foods that we dislike.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did show that he loved the taste of pumpkin.
Anas bin Malik, the close companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported, “A tailor invited Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to a meal which he had prepared. I went along with Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to that feast. He presented to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) barley bread and soup containing pumpkin, and sliced pieces of meat. I saw Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) going after the pumpkin round the dish, so I have always liked the pumpkin since that day.” (Muslim)
On another occasion, Anas bin Malik said, “The Prophet used to like pumpkin. He was brought some food and invited to eat. I picked up the pumpkin in the plate and put it before him because I knew he liked it.” (Tirmidhi)
Aisha, the Prophet’s wife, narrated that he said to her, “O Aisha, when you cook, add pumpkins abundantly, because it strengthens the heart.”
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon) is not the first of the prophets to eat pumpkin and to show its health benefits and superiority over other vegetables.
When Prophet Yunus (Jonah) was thrown out of the whale that had swallowed him and when he was washed on the shore, he found a pumpkin plant which helped heal him.
The plant provided shade for him; its leaves had medicinal properties which helped heal his wounds and skin sores which had developed from the acidity in the whale’s stomach. And he ate from the pumpkin, which is a nutrient-dense food. Eating the pumpkin helped Prophet Yunus recuperate and recover.
Ibn Katheer commented on the verse in the Holy Qur’an which mentions the pumpkin plant that Allah had sent down for Prophet Yunus, “The pumpkin grows quickly, it provides shade, it has large smooth leaves, it keeps flies away and its fruit provides good nourishment. It can be eaten raw or cooked and its skin may be eaten too.”
Scientific research has revealed the health promoting properties of this noble vegetable. Pumpkin is a rich source of vitamin A and C. It is one of the best known sources of the anti-oxidant betacarotene and it contains good amounts of vitamin E and the B vitamins and also iron, potassium, magnesium, and manganese.
According to a report in Medical News Today, eating pumpkin is good for the heart. The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C content in pumpkin all support heart health. Research has shown that a diet rich in beta-carotene has a positive effect in lowering the risk of cancer, especially prostate and colon cancer.
The antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene, all of which pumpkin has, have been shown to support eye health and prevent degenerative damage. Plant foods like pumpkins that are high in both vitamin C and beta-carotene boost the immune system.
There are several reasons to be eating pumpkin: the significant health benefits, to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and to take advantage of the fresh bounties that the autumn season has to offer.
I found that the smooth, slightly sweet taste of cooked pumpkin is actually quite delicious. Pumpkin is a versatile vegetable and it can be used to make delicious soups, stews, cakes and muffins, and of course the famous pumpkin pie.
We have provided some recipes to get you started on your culinary adventure with the pumpkin.
Curried Pumpkin and Peas
Recipe from Country Living
Ingredients:
l 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
l 1 medium onion, finely chopped
l 1 garlic clove, minced
l 2½ tsp. curry powder
l ½ tsp. salt
l ½ tsp. Freshly ground pepper
l 2 lb. pumpkin, chopped in large cubes
l 2 medium red potatoes, chopped in large cubes
l 1½ c. low-sodium chicken broth
l ¾ c. golden raisins
l ¾ c. frozen baby peas
l fresh cilantro
Directions:
Heat butter in a large pan over medium-high heat, add onion, and cook until golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in curry powder, salt, and pepper. Add pumpkin and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in broth and raisins, cover, and reduce heat to medium. After 15 minutes, add peas. Replace cover and continue to cook until pumpkin and potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro.
Pumpkin Chowder
Recipe from Country Living
Ingredients:
l 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
l 2 leeks
l 3 large Garlic cloves
l 2 medium bell peppers, chopped
l 2¼ lb. pumpkin, chopped
l 1½ tsp. chopped fresh marjoram
l ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
l 2 bay leaves
l ¼ tsp. salt
l ¼ tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
l 1¼ c. frozen corn
l 6 c. vegetable broth
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until very soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in green peppers, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until peppers soften, about 8 more minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until pumpkin is tender, about 30 minutes.
Pumpkin and Carrot Soup
Recipe from The Iron You
Ingredients:
1. 2 lbs / 900 g pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 lbs / 453 g carrots, peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups / 1 L vegetable stock
2 cups / 500 ml water
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
— Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
— Add onion, a pinch of salt and cook, stirring every now and then for 15 minutes, until soft and translucent.
— Add garlic, mustard seeds, coriander, cumin and turmeric. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant (and mustard seeds start to pop).
— Add pumpkin and carrot pieces and give a good stir. Add vegetable stock, water, and bring to a boil.
— Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool for 15 minutes.
— Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (alternatively transfer the pumpkin mixture in batches to the jug of a blender). Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Add more stock if needed to reach the desired consistency.
Pumpkin Muffins
Recipe from Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
l 1 cup All-purpose Flour
l 1/2 cup Sugar
l 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
l 1-1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
l 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
l 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
l 1/2 teaspoon Salt
l 4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces
l 1 cup (heaping) Pumpkin Puree
l 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
l 1 whole Egg
l 1-1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
l 1/2 cup Golden Raisins (optional!)
Topping
l 2 Tablespoons Sugar
l 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
l 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
Directions:
— Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously grease 12 muffin tins.
— Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in butter with two knives or a pastry blender until it is fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture. Add raisins. Fold gently until mixture is just combined.
— Pour into a greased muffin pan—batter hardly ever fills all twelve unless you keep it down to 1/2 full. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon-sugar-nutmeg mixture over the top of each unbaked muffin.
— Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. Ice with cream cheese frosting.
