pumpkin seeds

[PreppingPingu]

After scooping out and giving the pumpkin to hubby to carve (as is the ritual in our house,) I separated the seeds, washed and dried them. Being me, I didn't want to waste anything, so I know you can eat pumpkin seeds but do I need to do anything to them first? I noticed the ones in the supermarkets in twee packets have had their outta shell taken off so I assume I need to do that. Do they need roasting or anything first? I was going to seal them up in small kilner style jars and put in in my stores. Use them in muesli/flapjacks or just as trail food if out and about.

[PreppingPingu]

Oh and obviously keep a few to plant next year!

[Arzosah]

I eat them all the time, but I don't know how to treat them when they've just been harvested from their plant

What does the "jacket" feel like? Have you experimented with nibbling on it? There's always more to learn, isn't there!

[tigs]

we wash them , dry them and mix them with Cajun , Jamaican or Moroccan ready mixed spice then toast them for about 5 to 10 minutes at 180 degrees let them cool and eat, they don't last long

[jean405]

I noticed the ones in the supermarkets in twee packets have had their outta shell taken off so I assume I need to do that.

the seeds in the twee packets are from special pumpkins, their seeds do not have shells, kakai pumpkins for example. I have bought the seeds and will be growing them for the first time next year. I eat masses of pumpkin seeds, so growing my own will be a saving

Jean

[nickdutch]

Clean them, dry them and eat them. If you want to, grill toast them or pan toast them once they are dry. maybe add some salt. once they are dry, use them as a partial ingredient when you are making nut butters.

[TwoDo]

I roast the seeds from our halloween pumpkin every year. Pumpkin seeds have a wonderful nutty flavour. Here's how you do it

1) Separate the seeds from the pumpkin guts
2) Put the seeds in boiling water with a couple of tablespoons of salt - let sit for 10 minutes. This will make the shells nicer when you roast them
3) Dry the seeds off a bit by spreading them out on something flat and pressing them with a tea towel. You do not need to get them bone dry - just remove most of the excess moisture.
4) Wipe a oven tray down with some olive oil, and put the seeds on it. Then sprinkle with salt - sea salt preferably.
5) Put the oven onto a middling heat and cook the seeds for about 20 minutes

That's it. Eat the cooked pumpkin seeds shell and all, yes I know you won't think its a good idea when you look at them, but try it. The shells become crunchy and are quite edible along with the inner seeds.

Take care not to over cook the seeds as you do not want the shells to be super crispy - neither do you want them raw. I try the seeds periodically as they are cooking to get them just right.

Any of the seeds from the usual orange pumpkins are are suitable for cooking - there is not a special kind of pumpkin used for seeds.

Also look up Pumpkin Pie to use the pumpkin itself. You probably will not think that pumpkin is a good ingredient for a pie but I can assure you it is absolutely the best pie of all time, ever.

[jean405]

Here is a video of the special hull-less kakai pumpkin seeds (the ones sold in the twee packets).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3o-TwOrsdo

The channel is called growingyourgreens, and the guy is a mine of information.

[PreppingPingu]

Thankies for all your tips Just what these forums are for!

[preppingsu]

Good article here

http://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-s ... pkin-seeds