Eat it raw

Yep! I never considered this option until a couple of years ago, when my classmate suggested it. I was reluctant to try, but when I finally caved in, I was pleasantly surprised. It tastes great and more neutral than when cooked. Just peel it and take a bite.

Make a cream soup

I won’t bore you with a specific recipe, as there are dozens of variations, but the basics are:

• Bake the pumpkin (some onion and garlic will be great, too) until it’s soft. Somehow, the soup turns out tastier that way, but boiling it will work, too;

• Add some cream or coconut milk. The amount depends on your preferred consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little water;

• Add your spices of choice. Salt + pepper is the classic bare minimum, but feel free to experiment. I love pumpkin soup with curry powder;

• Blend it until it’s all even;

• Serve with fresh greens, toasted bread, or chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

Dry the seeds

Don’t throw them away! They’re nutritious and tasty – just get rid of the pulp, spread them on a napkin and put them somewhere warm overnight. Optionally, fry them for a bit on a dry pan with some salt.

Use as a side dish

For that, combine 1 tablespoon of oil with 2 tablespoons of honey, add some cumin seeds and pour this mixture over the sliced pumpkin, then add a bit of salt and pepper and bake at 200°C until soft.

Make a pie

Here’s a simple recipe that caught my eye – it turned out great and doesn’t require too much fuss:

• Mix 120 grams of butter, 80 grams of sugar, one egg, a pinch of salt, and 250 grams of flour to make a dough. Put it in the refrigerator for a while, then spread it in a baking pan, make tiny holes in the dough with a fork, and bake at 190°C for 15 minutes;

• Boil 450 grams of peeled and cut-up pumpkin until soft, then blend it;

• Mix the pumpkin puree with 100 grams of sugar, 120 ml of 20% cream, a pinch of cinnamon, and one egg. Whisk it, then pour into the pre-baked dough and bake for 35 minutes at 200°C.

Make some decorations

If you don’t feel like wasting food just for decoration, purchase some ornamental pumpkins. I saw some sold on Avito and I’m pretty sure they can be found at local markets and grocery stores. They last for months without going bad!