Pumpkin cooks until tender in a fragrant coconut sauce with turmeric, lemongrass and daun kunyit. Dried shrimp give the sauce extra depth; rice makes it a satisfying lunch.
Masak lemak is a Malaysian term for dishes in which coconut milk plays an important role. The exact ingredients and level of heat vary from one version to another; this recipe brings pumpkin together with turmeric, lemongrass and daun kunyit. The sauce is creamy, but it shouldn’t taste heavy or flat: lemongrass and the leaf add a fresh, herbal fragrance, while a small amount of chili brings warmth. Pumpkin is widely available, especially in autumn, but you can make this dish with store-bought pumpkin all year round.
Cut the pumpkin into generous, roughly equal-sized pieces. Small cubes fall apart more quickly as they cook in coconut milk, while larger pieces hold their shape better. Let the sauce simmer gently and stir carefully; boiling it hard can cause the coconut milk to split and make the pumpkin mushy. Check with the tip of a knife to see if the pieces are just tender: it should slide in easily, but the pumpkin should still hold together when you serve it.
Fresh turmeric gives a bright, earthy flavor and a vivid yellow color. If it’s hard to find, you can use ground turmeric; use a smaller amount, as its flavor is more concentrated. Daun kunyit, also called turmeric leaf, has its own herbal note. If it isn’t available, leave it out rather than replacing it with a large amount of another leaf. Dried shrimp add salty umami. For a vegetarian version, you can leave them out and season the sauce carefully with salt; it will then taste less savory.
Serve the pumpkin with warm, plainly cooked rice so it can soak up the coconut sauce. Spoon it out carefully and distribute the sauce over the pumpkin pieces; no extra garnish is needed. If you cut the lemongrass stalks into long pieces, remove them from the pan before serving. Once cooled, store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within two days. Reheat them gently until thoroughly hot; stir the sauce carefully if it has split a little during storage.
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Cook the rice according to the package directions and keep warm.
Briefly rinse the dried shrimp and soak them in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain. Grind or pound the shallot, garlic, turmeric and chili into a coarse paste; a mortar and pestle works well.
Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the paste for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Add the dried shrimp and fry for 1 more minute.
Pour the coconut milk and water into the pan. Add the lemongrass, knotted leaf and salt. Bring gently to a simmer.
Add the pumpkin pieces to the sauce. Simmer gently for 12–18 minutes with the lid half on the pan. Carefully turn the pieces over occasionally, and remove the lid for the last few minutes if the sauce needs to reduce a little.
Check that the pumpkin is just tender and still holds its shape. Taste the sauce and add extra salt if needed. Remove the lemongrass and daun kunyit or lime leaves, and serve with the rice.
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