Crispy Chilli Pumpkin Indo Chinese Recipes

The crispy pumpkin wedges are tossed in a fiery chilli and garlic sauce. Be warned; This gets more and more addictive with each bite. It’s no secret that I’m a Chilli Paneer fiend. It’s probably one of the most iconic Indo-Chinese dishes, alongside the likes of Hakka Noodles and Vegetable Manchurian. This recipe for Indo-Chinese Crispy Chilli Pumpkin is a vegan spin on the Indian restaurant favourite, putting seasonal pumpkin to work in place of paneer (Indian cottage cheese).

This recipe for Indo-Chinese Crispy Chilli Pumpkin is suitable for…

Vegetarian diets Vegan diets Gluten free options included

A great way to use leftover pumpkin

If you’ve got a glut of pumpkin this Autumn, or have lots to use up after a heavy pumpkin carving session, make this. It’s bold, fresh and a fabulous new way to showcase pumpkin. After all, there’s only so much pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie and pumpkin risotto we can eat!

Indo Chinese food origin

Indo-Chinese, or Indian Chinese cuisine is a style of cooking that originates from the Hakka settlers of India’s eastern states. The Chinese immigrant community in India began centuries ago, and many settlers lay down new roots around the ports of Kolkata and Madras. The vibrant and flavoursome cooking of India’s Chinese communities has carved a place in all our appetites. Indo-Chinese dishes are famous in every part of India, from street stalls selling momos, bao buns, schezwan (sic) fried rice and hakka noodles, restaurant menus famed for their honey chilli potatoes, gobi manchurian, and chilli idli. Indo-Chinese cuisine is a melting pot of aromatics and spices, all brought together in stir fried, saucy and utterly moreish meals. It’s packed with flavour and usually coated in rich and glossy sauces. Peppers, onions, garlic and ginger feature heavily, as do chillies. I don’t know anyone who tried it and didn’t enjoy it!

3 Indo-Chinese dishes you might like

Hakka Noodles Vegetable Manchurian Chilli Paneer

How to make a slurry for a thick and shiny Chinese-style sauce

It’s quicker and easier than you might think. Simply mix together cornflour (cornstarch) and cold water. It’s important your water is cold. Hot water will cause the starch in the cornflour to seize up and become lumpy on contact. Once you add it, stir quickly for a smooth, glossy sauce.

Is this Indo-Chinese Chilli Pumpkin recipe vegan?

Yes! This recipe is vegan and can be made gluten free if you swap your soy sauce for tamari or use a commercial gluten-free soy sauce brand.

How to make crispy tempura pumpkin

For the crispiest tempura batter, I use a combination of wheat flour, cornflour (cornstarch), bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), a few spices and ice cold sparkling water. In order to make this Japanese-style crunchy coating, there are a few important things to remember… I keep the skin on my pumpkin but feel free to peel it if you like. Keep the slices thin for quick and thorough cooking. If you’d like to cube your pumpkin, keep them small, about 1cm x 1cm.

Can I make this pumpkin dish without deep frying?

Yes, it’s possible to prepare this recipe without frying, but not using the batter recipe in the recipe card below. I recommend you prepare the batter from my Halloumi 65 recipe and then either bake or air fry the pumpkin until it’s golden on the outside and fully cooked all the way through. Note: The batter will be thicker and not quite as light as the deep frying method.

Tips for cutting vegetables for Indo-Chinese dishes

Try to keep everything around the same size or length. This will ensure everything cooks evenly. See video above for a visual reference. A quick tutorial with suggestions for how to prepare and chop vegetables for all your favourite Indo Chinese recipes. Try it for Chilli Paneer, Manchurian, Hakka Noodles, Fried Rice and more! Ensure your knife is sharp before you begin.

How to make the sauce for Indo-Chinese Crispy Chilli Pumpkin

Prepare all the vegetables and aromatics in advance. The cooking element of this dish, like many Eastern stir fry dishes, happens rapidly. Keep all of your ingredients measured out beside you so you can add everything in quick succession. Ensure your wok is smoking hot before you begin. A great deal of flavour comes from the heat of the wok (this is called “wok hei” and refers to the smoky aroma you get with all great East Asian dishes). Keep the ingredients moving at all times. Once you add the cornflour slurry, mix it quickly to create the perfect sauce. Don’t overcook anything. As soon as the sauce is shiny, you can add the pumpkin. Serve your Indo-Chinese Crispy Chilli Pumpkin immediately!

Indo-Chinese Crispy Chilli Pumpkin recipe

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Chilli Paneer

Love Sanjana

Use butternut squash or any other firm variety of squash in place of pumpkin. You can also cut it into cubes but bear in mind that these may take longer to cook. MSG (monosodium glutamate is a flavour enhancer, also known as ajinomoto). You can buy it in all Asian food shops. If you do not want to use MSG, you may need to add additional salt to the sauce to compensate. Combine the pumpkin and sauce just before serving so the dish remains crispy. The longer you leave it, the less crispy it becomes. To reheat, place on a wide, flat baking tray and flash under a hot grill. If you’d prefer a milder version, reduce the number of chillies in the recipe.