Pumpkin Dahl With Chickpeas: Indonesian Style & Vegan
Pumpkin Chickpea Dahl, Indonesian Style.
An Easy, Tasty, Spicy Vegan Dahl With Coconut Milk And Curry Leaves.
Serves 2. Cooks In 10 To 15 Minutes. A Flametree Bali Retreat Recipe.
Introduction to pumpkin dahl
Pumpkin dahl is a creamy, spiced dish of pumpkin puree and cooked chickpeas, simmered with coconut milk, shallot, ginger, turmeric, curry leaves, garam masala and curry powder. This Indonesian style version is vegan and serves 2. Once the pumpkin is steamed and pureed, it cooks in 10 to 15 minutes.
It’s the easy, quick chickpea dahl I learnt in the cooking class at a Flametree Bali yoga retreat. It’s delicious, high in protein and very filling.
Plus, it’s better than any dahl I’ve ever been able to buy.
If you have any comments or questions, please contact us. Or chat with me at a Flametree yoga or meditation class via these timetables.
Pumpkin dahl, ready to eat
My pumpkin chickpea dahl. It’s better than any dahl I’ve ever been able to buy.
Ingredients for pumpkin dahl
Here are the ingredients for this Flametree Yoga Studio dish. It serves 2 people.
- Raw pumpkin, one good handful, sliced into pieces about 2 cm x 2 cm x 0.5 cm (or 10 cm x 5 cm x 0.25 cm)
- 1 shallot, sliced and finely chopped
- 1 knob of ginger, about the size of a fingernail, sliced and finely chopped
- 1 knob of turmeric, about the size of a fingernail, sliced and finely chopped
- 8 curry leaves
- 1 cup of cooked chickpeas (dried chickpeas soaked and cooked, or canned)
- 1/2 cup of coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- 1 teaspoon of Indian curry powder
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- Oil for frying, coconut or olive oil
- Chilli, if you like spicy food
It’s best to use dried chickpeas. Soak them overnight, then cook them for 2 hours. They’re far tastier than tinned chickpeas, and organic chickpeas are even more delicious.
Making the dish
Making my pumpkin chickpea dahl.
How to make pumpkin dahl
Use these steps to make this tasty pumpkin chickpea dahl.
Step 1: Steam and puree the pumpkin
- Steam the pumpkin, then drain it.
- Blend the pumpkin with 1 teaspoon of water to make 1/2 cup of puree.
Step 2: Fry the shallot, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves
- In a frying pan or wok, heat the oil.
- Fry the shallot, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves until fragrant.
Step 3: Add everything else and cook until creamy
- Add the pumpkin puree, chickpeas, coconut milk, garam masala, curry powder, salt and pepper.
- If you like spicy food, add some chilli.
- Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until creamy.
Step 4: Serve
- Serve with rice or quinoa.
Cooked until creamy
Cook it for 10 to 15 minutes, until it’s lovely and creamy.
Is pumpkin dahl vegan and gluten free?
This pumpkin dahl is vegan. It uses coconut milk, and coconut or olive oil for frying, so there’s no dairy.
Pumpkin, chickpeas and fresh spices are naturally gluten free. Curry powders and spice blends like garam masala vary, though, so check the labels if you need it strictly gluten free.
Is dahl always made with lentils?
No. Dahl, or dal, is the Indian word for dried split pulses, and for the dish made from them. Lentils are the most common, but split chickpeas, peas and beans are used too.
This one uses whole cooked chickpeas, with pumpkin puree to make it creamy. If you’d like a lentil version, see my green lentil dahl below.
What makes this dahl Indonesian style?
I learnt it in the cooking class at the Flametree Bali retreat, at Pondok Pisang. It uses fresh turmeric, ginger and coconut milk, as Balinese cooking often does, alongside Indian spices like garam masala and curry powder.
The cooking class at Pondok Pisang
The cooking class at Pondok Pisang, on the Flametree Bali retreat, where I learnt this dahl.
Pumpkin dahl: quick questions answered
How many does this pumpkin dahl serve?
The quantities here are for 2 people.
How long does pumpkin dahl take to cook?
Once the pumpkin is steamed and pureed, the dahl cooks for 10 to 15 minutes, until creamy.
Can I use tinned chickpeas?
Yes. For the best flavour, soak dried chickpeas overnight and cook them for 2 hours. Organic chickpeas are even more delicious.
Can I make it spicier?
Yes. Add chilli if you like spicy food.
What do I serve with pumpkin dahl?
Rice or quinoa.
More Flametree dahl and curry recipes
Love a good dahl? Try my green lentil dahl, my pumpkin curry with green beans, or my eggplant chickpea curry.
Do you have a vegan recipe or dish you’d like to share?
Please contact me with any dishes you’d like to share with me.
Obviously, I’m especially interested in any dish that is already a great Darwin vegan option.
Alternatively, it may be a potential vegan Darwin recipe that I could adapt, or be inspired by, as I did here.
Experience eating alternatives at a Flametree Yoga Retreat
By the way, there are several upcoming Flametree yoga retreats in Bali in 2027.
Contact us for details of our Darwin yoga retreat packages, or our yoga class packages in the orange lines below.
Top yoga & meditation retreats, classes, & videos
Meanwhile, start or re-start yoga or meditation with one of the HALF price deals below, or check out the retreat deals.
Learning to eat mindfully, as a result of yoga and pranayama meditation, is a great way to start more of a vegetarian or vegan journey, or simply mindfully eat whatever you choose.
Flametree upcoming yoga & meditation retreats
2 FREE yoga classes with each HALF price 10 pack; for yoga newcomers or 3 months lapsed
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Recipe by Chris Lalor, Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin NT. General information only.
