** 2 tablespoons fish sauce (soy sauce or salt may be substituted)
Preparation
Peel the skin off the pumpkin. Remove seeds and spongy part. Cut into pieces ½ in. thick and 1 in. long.
Crush peppercorn and garlic in a mortar or processor, or finely chop garlic and use ground pepper.
Heat the wok on high heat. Add oil, garlic and pepper. Stir fry until garlic turns golden brown. Add the pumpkin, stir to coat the pumpkin with garlic and pepper mixture. Add water and cook about 5 min. or so for the water to reduce and pumpkin to cook. If you find the pumpkin is still hard add a little more water and cook a few min. longer. Add fish sauce and sugar while there is still water in the wok. The seasoning will penetrate the pumpkin to give a consistent flavor throughout the pieces.
In Thailand this recipe is always served with rice.