Sweet Pumpkin, Tender Pork, Creamy Golden Sauce
This Thai pork and pumpkin curry is a creamy yellow curry made with thinly sliced pork, sweet pumpkin, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk, with no added sugar needed. As it cooks, the pumpkin softens into the sauce, the pork soaks up the flavours, and the makrut lime leaves add a fragrant citrus lift. Pumpkin is at its best in the cooler months, but this is a curry that works all year round.
At a glance
Heat: medium-hot. Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste is 3/5, as hot as our red and hotter than our green
Key ingredients: Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste, pork fillet, kabocha pumpkin or butternut squash, coconut milk, makrut lime leaves
No palm sugar needed: the pumpkin sweetens the sauce naturally
Ready in: 45 minutes
Serve with: steamed jasmine rice
Why Pork and Pumpkin Work So Well in Yellow Curry
Our yellow curry paste brings real heat, so the coconut milk and the sweetness of the pumpkin do important work here. They don’t dilute the paste. They bring it into balance, giving the sauce body and creaminess.
The pumpkin isn’t a filler. As it softens, it releases its natural sugars into the coconut, so the sauce needs no extra sweetener. Thinly sliced pork adds a mild, savoury depth and soaks up the curry in minutes. With the makrut lime leaves and the warmth of the paste, the result is bold and rounded without ever feeling heavy.
Which Pumpkin to Use
Kabocha (Japanese pumpkin): the best choice. It has dark green skin and sweet, dense flesh, and the skin is edible, so in Thai cooking it’s often left on. Peel it if you prefer.
Butternut squash: the easiest swap. It’s slightly less sweet but behaves the same way, and it’s much easier to peel.
Cut either into even 3–4cm chunks. Too big and they’ll still be firm when the pork is done. Too small and they’ll fall apart into the sauce.
About Thai Yellow Curry
“Yellow curry” can mean several different dishes in Thailand. Gaeng kari (แกงกะหรี่) is the Indian-influenced yellow curry most people know from Thai restaurants abroad, built on dried spices and coconut milk. In southern Thailand, gaeng lueang (แกงเหลือง), also called gaeng som, is a fiery, tangy and sour water-based curry made without coconut milk. Our Thai yellow curry is different again: a creamy coconut curry coloured with fresh turmeric and scented with lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime.
Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste is made from Jum’s family recipe from Trang in Southern Thailand, stone-ground the traditional way. It’s vegan, gluten free and has no added sugar, and here it’s paired with coconut milk for a rich, creamy sauce.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste
Pork fillet: lean and quick to cook. Slice it thinly on the diagonal
Kabocha pumpkin or butternut squash: cut into 3–4cm chunks
Full-fat coconut milk: don’t shake the tin. The thick cream on top goes in first
Kaffir lime leaves: tear them roughly to release their fragrance
Fish sauce: start with 2 tbsp and adjust. For a version without fish, use light soy sauce or tamari
Coconut oil: for frying the paste
How to Make Pork and Pumpkin Yellow Curry
Fry the paste. Heat coconut oil in a wok and fry the yellow curry paste for at least 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the oil starts to separate. Don’t rush this step.
“Crack” the coconut cream. Add the thick cream from the top of the tin and the fish sauce, and simmer for about 5 minutes until the oil rises to the surface. That’s how you know the sauce base is ready.
Add the pumpkin. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk, add the pumpkin and simmer for 7–10 minutes, until it starts to soften.
Add the pork and lime leaves. Tear in the makrut lime leaves, add the sliced pork and simmer for 5–7 minutes, until the pork is just cooked and the pumpkin is tender. Don’t overcook the pork, as fillet dries out quickly.
Taste and adjust. Pumpkin sweetness varies, so add a little more fish sauce if the sauce needs more depth.
Serve over steamed jasmine rice. Remove the lime leaves first if you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pumpkin is best for Thai curry?
Kabocha is the best, as it’s sweet and dense and holds its shape. Butternut squash is the easiest alternative.
Is pork yellow curry spicy?
It’s medium-hot. Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste is 3/5. The coconut milk and pumpkin soften the heat, and you can use less paste for a milder curry.
Do I need sugar in pumpkin curry?
No. The pumpkin releases its natural sweetness into the sauce, so no palm sugar is needed.
What other yellow curries can I make?
Try our Chicken Thai Yellow Curry with Potato or Vegan Thai Stir Fried Rice
Keep exploring: More recipes
From Jum’s Kitchen
In Southern Thailand, pumpkin is in the markets all year round, but here in the UK, autumn is when it really shines: the flesh at its sweetest and densest, the evenings drawing in, and a warm, spiced curry that feels like coming home. With Mae Jum Yellow Curry Paste doing the heavy lifting, there are no dozen spices to measure and no pot to watch for hours. In about forty-five minutes, you’ve made something that tastes like it came from a kitchen in Southern Thailand.
The pumpkin softens into sweetness, the pork stays tender, and the paste unfolds its warmth through the coconut. Serve this pork and pumpkin curry with jasmine rice, and share it with the people you love.
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Pork and Pumpkin Thai Yellow Curry
- 35 g Mae Jum Thai Yellow Curry Paste
- 400 g pork fillet, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 350 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
- 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- — kaffir lime leaves (3 or 4 )
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Thai Yellow Curry Paste
