Fak Tong Gang Buad (Pumpkin in coconut milk)

Pumpkin in Coconut Milk or Thai called Fak Tong Gang Buad. In Thailand, pumpkins are available year round. This will make a nice warm dessert in the fall. Many Thai desserts involve cooking rice, sticky rice or flour in sugar and coconut milk. However, pumpkin in coconut milk belongs to a class of dessert called 'gang buad', which refers to cooking vegetables, legumes or fruits in coconut milk with sugar.

INGREDIENT:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1/3 cup palm sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

COOKING:

• Skin the pumpkin, remove the seeds and julienne into pieces of 2" x ½" x ½".
  
• Add water and coconut milk to a pot and heat over low heat. Add salt. I would recommend adding half of the sugar and tasting before adding more. If you find it to be too sweet, add more water. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the pumpkin. Let it boil and let the pumpkin cook. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
  
• The key to this dish is using thin coconut milk. The top layer of coconut milk or cream will curdle when boiled. If your coconut milk is creamy, dilute it with water.
  

Tips: I recommend using acorn squash, moschata squash or any other yellow meat squash or cooking pumpkin.