Culinarily speaking, one of the most beautiful characteristics of a pumpkin plant is that there is no waste and the entire plant can be consumed. The leaves are a substitute for spinach, its tendrils and tender shoots can be used in stir fries, the immature fruit can be cooked as a vegetable, the seeds can be dried, shelled and eaten and the flower when stuffed and grilled makes a beautiful dish.

Following is the recipe from our kitchen

The flower is stuffed with a paste made from sprouted Moong Dal, roasted peanuts and grated coconut, mixed with salt and herbs like dill or basil. Once the paste is stuffed into the flower, the flower is carefully shut by twisting the open ends and roast in a pan.

When harvesting Pumpkin Flowers, harvest the male flowers, as they do not produce fruit. To differentiate between male and female flowers, look for a little ball (the emergent fruit) at the base of the female flower. The flowers should be ideally harvested in the morning, when they are open.