Not all pumpkins are created equal; Crown prince pumpkin is one of the best. It is the star of the show in this pumpkin dip. Highly unusual, the inspiration for this recipe and its flavours comes from my years of working as a Japanese chef. This pumpkin dip is sweet and tart at the same time. Mellow, gentle, and comforting is how I would describe it. If you want to add something unusual and interesting to your party dips, give this a go.
I have tried to combine some interesting flavours in this recipe to create balance but not be overpowering. The crown prince pumpkin is sweet, so I have created balance with the rice vinegar and cooking sake which add a tangy, acidic element to the pumpkin dip. Happy dipping!
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Ingredients
- Crown prince pumpkin
- White onion
- Ginger
- Rice vinegar
- Cooking sake
- Kala namak
- Olive oil
- Vegan block butter
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare your ingredients:
- Cut the pumpkin into wedges.
- Peel and slice the onions and ginger.
Coat the pumpkin wedges with olive oil and season kala namak.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping over halfway to get a nice colour on both sides
In a pot, add the onion, ginger, sake and rice vinegar and bring to a rapid boil. Then immediately reduce heat to simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.
Pass the reduction through a sieve. Discard the onion ginger.
Melt the vegan butter and set aside.
Once the pumpkin is cooked, peel the skin off.
Add the wedges to a blender and then add the sake-vinegar reduction and mix to a smooth puree. Adjust the seasoning if required.
While continuing to puree, add melted butter and continue to blend until the butter is incorporated and you have a smooth puree.
Garnish with roasted pumpkin and sesame seeds, and serve the pumpkin dip warm with crackers.
Substitutions
Instead of sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds, you can garnish with chopped chives.
Equipment
You will need a good blender, preferably with a feeding hole, so you can drizzle the butter while its blending to insure a smooth dip.
Storage
Although this dip is best consumed straightaway, it can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge; you may have to warm it up and mix it again if you can see the butter.
Top tip
If you don't have a top-feeding blender, then add the butter bit by bit and blend and repeat. If the butter is not fully incorporated, then use a spatula to mix it in.
FAQs
Crown prince pumpkin is an edible squash with blue/grey skin and deep orange flesh. It has a sweet and nutty flavour with a creamy texture. It is my favourite pumpkin to cook with. A great thing about this pumpkin is that it can be kept for three to six months in a cool, dark place without spoiling it. 
Related Recipes
Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Try these:
Recipe Pairing
Here are some of my other recipes that will go well with my pumpkin dip:
📖 Recipe
Crown Prince Pumpkin Dip
Equipment
- Blender or Food processor
- Digital scales
Ingredients
- 900 g Crown prince pumpkin
- 90 g White onions
- 20 g Ginger
- 200 ml Cooking sake
- 200 ml Rice vinegar
- 50 g Vegan block butter (not spreadable)
- ½ teaspoon Kala namak
- 1 teaspoon Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
- Cut the crown prince pumpkin into wedges. Coat with olive oil and season with kala namak.
- Roast in the oven for 20, flipping over halfway to get a nice colour on both sides.
- While the pumpkin is roasting, peel and slice the onions. Wash and slice the ginger.
- In a pot, add the onion, ginger, sake and rice vinegar and bring to a rapid boil. Then immediately reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer until the liquid has reduced in half. Pass the reduction through a sieve. Discard the onion ginger.
- Melt the vegan block butter and set aside.
- Once the pumpkin is cooked, peel the skin and add wedges to a blender along with the sake-vinegar reduction and blend to a smooth puree. Adjust the seasoning if required.
- While continuing to puree, add the melted butter and continue to blend until the butter is incorporated and you have a smooth puree.
- Garnish with roasted pumpkin and sesame seeds, and serve warm with crackers.
Nutrition
NOTES
Food Safety
In a professional kitchen, food hygiene and safety are top priorities, and from the beginning of my training, I practised good habits and routines. Here are some fundamental practices to adopt in the kitchen at home.
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food.
- Wipe down countertops and high-contact points regularly.
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours).
- Store food correctly.
For more details regarding food hygiene and safety in the home, visit the UK Government's Food Standards Agency webpage.
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