Not Your Mama's Pumpkin . . . Guam PDN Article #3

 

Not your mama’s pumpkin. . .

Pie? No. Not for most CHamorus anyways. Pumpkin pie wasn’t popular growing up on Guam when I was a kid, and I don’t even think the bakeries sold them. But for reals, we are all about that buchi buchi, or påstit, and even easier to make, boñelos. While the baked pumpkin turnover, or påstit, is a handheld pie, a slice of American pumpkin pie doesn’t satisfy the craving. They are the same, but different ombre. And buchi buchi, with that chewy coconut milk crust, pumpkin pie stands no chance at all. Am I right or what?

Speaking of, wow, remember the buchi buchi from Ypao store at Ypao Beach? Their buchi buchi were misshapen because I don’t think they cut the dough into circles. Maybe it was more like grab a piece of dough, pat it out, fill it, and as the buchi buchi was put into the oil, it stretched. I loved it at room temperature. These days, more often than is good for me, I close my eyes and think of their buchi buchi. FYI, PROA Restaurant at Ypao Beach occupies the old Ypao store building.

It’s interesting how the local sweet potato grew abundant and was cited more often in Guåhån’s Spanish colonial years, yet modern CHamorus have this preference for pumpkin desserts. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin were both introduced to Guåhån during Spanish occupation, at least as early as 1688. An American naturalist living in Guam from 1899 to 1900 did write that he was served a sweet dulce, or jam, of the finest pumpkin. In “Recipes of Guam,” published in 1954, there are recipes for buchi buchi, påstit, a gollai åppan style pumpkin dish, and a soup with pumpkin tips. 

While pumpkin, or kalamasa in CHamoru, is available year-round on Guåhån, it is less available from August to December with all the rain. This is the time to stock up on fresh pumpkin so you can have fresh kalamasa for your end-of-the year baking.

I prefer to bake my fresh pumpkins in the oven because I can set it and forget it for 45 minutes. Line a baking tray with a non-stick material like parchment paper. Scrub and clean the outside of the whole kalamasa then wipe dry. Cut it in half. Remove the innards. Sprinkle a little bit of salt over the flesh. Place the pumpkin halves faced down on the parchment paper. Use a small knife to pierce the skin of each half about 10 times. Preheat your oven then bake the pumpkin at 365 degrees for 45 minutes. To check the kalamasa for doneness, use a fork to push on the skin. If it’s soft, the pumpkin is done; if not, bake another 15 minutes and check again. Cool for 20 minutes then turn the halves over. Use a spoon to scrape the flesh and place in a bowl. Cool to room temperature then cover and keep in the fridge overnight.

The next day, freeze in freezer storage containers or bags according to the volume you will need for various pumpkin recipes. A 7-pound pumpkin yields approximately 8 1/3 cups of flesh. The typical canned pumpkin is 15 ounces, or 1 and 2/3 cups.

The recipe below is for pumpkin donuts. It’s the same recipe that’s in my book, “Remember Guam,” however using fresh pumpkin yields a prettier boñelos; you see flecks of pumpkin because we didn’t puree the pumpkin flesh. There is a deeper pumpkin flavor, and it seems to me the outside is crispier and the texture chewier. Then again, it’s been since last September that I made boñelos kalamasa using canned pumpkin and my memory… It’s delish so have at it!

I’m a traditional kind of gal, and my fave is plain pumpkin donuts, but once in a while I eat outside the box. Shake a couple of hot pumpkin donuts in a bag of cinnamon-sugar, and a few in a bag of powdered sugar. Save one of each flavor then enjoy your tres boñelos with a cup of kafe the next morning, my favorite time of day. Oh goodness, a cup of hot coffee and dessert in the morning with my husband makes me a happy Chamorita.

Boñelos kalamasa with fresh pumpkin

INGREDIENTS

Set 1

3 2/3 cups fresh pumpkin

2-12-ounce cans of evaporated milk

2 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Set 2

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups cake flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

Set 3

Coconut oil for frying, or your choice of oil

Set 4

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 cup powdered sugar

Tools: two small paper bags, two large bowls, whisk, large pot, colander, slotted spoon, small plate to rest the slotted spoon, napkins, baking pan  

DIRECTIONS

From set 4, mix the ½ cup of granulated sugar and the 1 tablespoon of cinnamon in a small paper bag. Set aside. Place the 1 cup of powdered sugar into the other paper bag and set aside. Line the baking pan with napkins and set aside.

Fill a pot halfway with oil. Heat the oil on medium heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the fresh pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and vanilla. This might seem a little watery, but it’s perfect.

In the other large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, the cake flour, and the baking powder.

Add the dry mixture into the wet mix. Use one hand to thoroughly incorporate the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes then use your hand to mix again.

Scoop a small amount of batter into the palm of your dominant hand. Make a circle with your thumb and fingers. Turn your “circled fingers” to drop some batter back into the bowl. This takes a little bit of practice. If you can squeeze the batter out and let the trail of batter fall onto itself in the oil, your donuts have a good chance of turning out round. If not, and the boñelos has a tail, you’ll have crunchy parts to eat.  If you prefer, use a small cookie dough scooper.

The oil must be hot enough to cook the inside of the donut in about 12-15 minutes without burning the outside. The temperature should be around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Or, if you stick a wooden spoon or skewer inside the oil and it sizzles around the wood, it’s ready.

Using one hand, test a mound of batter in the oil. The batter should turn into a puffy ball. The batter may fall to the bottom of the pot but rise as it cooks. It will only stay at the bottom a few seconds. If it sits longer, nudge it loose with the slotted spoon.

Once the oil is ready, drop more batter in. Turn the boñelos in the oil to cook and color the boñelos evenly. They should fry to more of a brown than a golden color. Remove one boñelos and tear open to see if it’s done. If so, place all donuts in the colander then on a napkin-lined baking pan. If it’s not cooked, fry a minute or two longer.

Drop three hot donuts into the bag with sugar and cinnamon while the donuts are hot. Fold bag close and shake to coat. Remove boñelos to a plate to continue cooling. Repeat with a few more.

Add three hot donuts to the powdered sugar bag. Fold bag close and shake to coat. Set on plate to cool. Repeat with a few more.

Once you have fried all the donuts, remove the napkins from the baking pan; the boñelos needs some oil for good texture. Plain donuts freeze and reheat well. Freeze in freezer bags and squeeze the air out. When ready to eat, thaw then reheat in the microwave or in an air fryer. Donuts out of the air fryer will be slightly crispy again.

NOTE: I used cake flour to lighten the batter. It gives the boñelos a soft center. You can use just all-purpose flour. It may, however, be a bit dense.

Here’s a link to the printable recipe, and a video on how to make Guam pumpkin donuts.

https://www.paulaq.com/guamboneloskalamasarecipe.html

*First appeared in the Guam PDN July 2021

Paula Lujan Quinene

Enjoying CHamoru food in a fasting lifestyle.

Reach out to Paula at pquinene@gmail.com

Paula’s home on the web is – www.PaulaQ.com

“Guam Mama Cooks” on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok

Author of A Taste of Guam, Remember Guam, Conquered, and Stormed