Pumpkin and Carrot Curry + China Market Scenes

Made with fresh pumpkin and hearty carrots, this creamy and filling Pumpkin and Carrot Curry is perfect for fall and so simple to make.

It's amazing how having a camera in your hand will make you more observant. When Brett and I first moved to China I couldn't stop staring and making mental notes of so many scenes that I would see throughout my day. Now, those same things that caught my attention initially are just normal, everyday life. However, last weekend Brett and I made a trip to the market and, since I had an extra set of hands with Brett being there, I decided to take my camera with me to document my new "grocery story." Wow. Simply having a camera in my hand made me feel like it was August again and we had just arrived. It was as if I had a new set of eyes. I realized how many things take place in a Chinese market that you would never see in America. 

So much of the produce that is refrigerated in America isn't refrigerated here. In fact, you won't find any refrigerators or freezers at the markets in China. Eggs, tofu, and vegetables are all kept out in the open air, often times on blankets on the ground. The way meat is displayed and prepared is another sight. Live chickens are kept in small cages, ready to be freshly killed in front of your eyes. Eels, crawdads, fish, turtles, and other weird creatures flop around in buckets at your feet. Raw carcasses are hanging up by hooks without any protection from flies or dirt. Colorful, spotted eggs of all shapes and sizes are piled high in baskets. Additionally, large bags of rice, spices, and dried chilies are displayed in all their abundance. 

The colors, the smells, the sights, the sounds, and the people make the markets in China quite an adventure. But if you can get over the sanitation issues and chaos, the markets in China are a produce lover's dream! I always come away from my time at the markets with fresh inspiration for recipes and a deeper desire to eat more fruits and vegetables. Often times I'll even pick up new-to-me ingredients or random ingredients, which I'm not sure how I'll use, and then delicious recipes are born, like the Pumpkin and Carrot Curry recipe I'll be sharing with you at the end of this post! 

Everything at the market is just so colorful and fresh, not to mention CHEAP! In fact, I thought it would be fun to share with you everything that Brett and I bought during our market run, including the amount of money we spent on each item. 

Here's a list of everything we picked up:

• 4 large sweet potatoes ($1.55)
• 3 small bok choy ($0.45)
• 21 bananas ($1.90)
• 1 large cantaloupe ($4.00)
• 8 large apples ($2.35)
• 10 free-range eggs ($1.55)
• ¼ massive pumpkin ($0.60)
• 8 tomatoes ($1.10)
• handful of red chilies (free)
• 4 heads garlic ($0.45)
• bean sprouts ($0.08)
• 3 stalks green onion ($0.08)
• 6 carrots ($0.45)
• 3 cups wood ear mushrooms ($0.45)
• 2 large red onions ($0.60)
• TOTAL: $15.61

And of course, I had to share with you some of the sights we saw as well. 

In addition to a bunch of produce, we also came home with a decent sized turtle. A young man walked up to Brett while I was paying for some vegetables and said, "Welcome to China!" and then handed him a turtle. We didn't know if it was meant to be a pet or food, but we appreciated the gesture and accepted the turtle happily. Thankfully our neighbor enjoys pets more than we do, so the little turtle (Brett named him Billy) found a good home the next day.

About this pumpkin carrot curry

Now that we're all caught up on the craziness of Chinese markets, let's talk about his delicious Pumpkin and Carrot Curry! As you can see from our grocery list, I came home from the market with a large wedge of fresh pumpkin. I wanted to make something warm and filling and knew that curry was just the thing. I was so happy with how this Pumpkin and Carrot Curry turned out and Brett deemed it, "Fantastic!" Other than a little bit of chopping, this curry is so simple to make. Homemade Pumpkin Puree adds tons of creaminess and grated ginger and garlic add lots of fresh zest. Served with steamed rice, this Pumpkin and Carrot Curry will fill you right up and leave you feeling happy and satisfied. It's perfect for fall!

I hope you give this Pumpkin and Carrot Curry a try! If you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts, so leave a comment or take a picture and tag #theconscientiouseater on Instagram.

📖 Recipe

Pumpkin and Carrot Curry + China Market Scenes

Faith VanderMolen

Made with fresh pumpkin and hearty carrots, this creamy and filling Pumpkin and Carrot Curry is perfect for fall and so simple to make.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Vegan Main Dish Recipes

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 263 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 red onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 red chili chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 2 cups cubed pumpkin
• 1 can coconut milk
• ⅓ cup Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Instructions 

• In a large saucepan, saute the chopped onion in water until soft and translucent.
• Add in the fresh ginger and garlic and saute another minute or two until fragrant.
• Add in the chili, curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste and stir until the onions are coated in curry powder. After 1 minute, add in the sliced carrots, cubed pumpkin, coconut milk and pumpkin puree and mix to combine.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the sauce pan and reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the pumpkin and carrots to cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Serve over steamed rice.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 4gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 62mgPotassium: 773mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 18930IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 5mg

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!