Vegan Pumpkin Coconut Curry — Sayur Santan Labu Kuning
A beloved Indonesian home-style dish — tender chunks of sweet pumpkin simmered slowly in rich, golden coconut milk, gently spiced with shallots, garlic, turmeric, and warm aromatics. The natural sweetness of pumpkin melts beautifully into the creamy, fragrant broth, creating a smooth, comforting stew that is light yet deeply satisfying. This version is prepared entirely plant-based — free from shrimp paste, dried shrimp, or any animal ingredients — while keeping every bit of the authentic, wholesome flavour you love.
Shared by novi
Time
40 min
Serves
5
Difficulty
easy
🛒 Ingredients
- #Main Ingredients
- 400 g pumpkin — peeled, seeded, cut into chunks
- 150 g long beans — cut into 4 cm lengths
- 700 ml water
- 400 ml thick coconut milk
- #Spice Paste
- 6 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cm fresh turmeric — or 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 cm fresh ginger
- 3 candlenuts — roasted
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 2–3 fresh red chillies — adjust to taste
- #Aromatics & Seasoning
- 2 stalks lemongrass — bruised
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 kaffir lime leaves — veins removed
- 1 tsp sea salt — adjust to taste
- 1–2 tbsp coconut sugar or cane sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil — for sautéing
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Make the spice paste: Place shallots, garlic, red chillies, turmeric, ginger, roasted candlenuts, and coriander into a blender or mortar. Grind until smooth.
- 2
Sauté the spices: Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the spice paste, lemongrass, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves. Sauté for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and the oil begins to separate.
- 3
Simmer the pumpkin: Add pumpkin chunks and pour in the water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes until the pumpkin begins to soften.
- 4
Add long beans & coconut milk: Add the long beans. Pour in the coconut milk while stirring gently. Add salt and sugar. Simmer over low heat for another 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender and the broth thickens slightly. Do not boil rapidly — keep the heat gentle so the coconut milk stays smooth.
- 5
Adjust and serve: Taste and balance salt or sweetness as desired. Remove lemongrass, bay leaves, and lime leaves. Serve warm with steamed rice.