For thai spice marinade
1 knob ginger, sliced
1 stick lemongrass, sliced
2 garlic cloves
2 dried mild chillies, soaked
2 shallots, peeled
½ tsp cumin seed
½ tsp coriander seed
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 green cardamom pod
1 tsp miso
pinch nutmeg
pinch clove
3 kaffir lime leaves
stalks from 1 bunch coriander

Dry-toast all ingredients in a hot pan until fragrant and lightly charred. Transfer immediately to a blender while hot. Add a dash of fish sauce and 1 tbsp palm sugar. Blend, then slowly emulsify in 60ml vegetable oil until smooth. Finish with a pinch of MSG (optional). Reserve half the paste for the coconut base sauce.

To roast pumpkin, cut into half-moon wedges. Massage pumpkin generously with the spice marinade. Roast at 160C, turning every 30 minutes. Cook until deeply caramelised and tender.

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For coconut base sauce, heat remaining spice paste in a pan with 3 kaffir lime leaves. Fry gently until aromatic and oil begins to split. Add ⅓ cup coconut milk and simmer briefly to combine. Keep warm.

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For betel leaf crunch salad
6 betel leaves, finely sliced
½ bunch Thai basil leaves
½ bunch mint leaves
½ bunch coriander leaves
¼ cup toasted coconut flakes
3 tbsp toasted peanuts, lightly crushed
1 tsp lemongrass (tender inner stem), finely sliced

Wash, dry and gently toss all ingredients together just before serving.

For dressing
2 tbsp palm sugar dissolved in 10ml warm water
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp grated ginger
1 cayenne chilli, finely sliced (optional)
Spoon coconut sauce onto the base of the plate. Stack one or two pumpkin wedges neatly on top. Crown with a generous mound of betel leaf salad. Finish with remaining dressing spooned lightly over the salad.

This recipe first appeared in the March 2026 issue of SALIFE magazine.