YELLOW PUMPKIN DRY CURRY

 YELLOW PUMPKIN DRY CURRY

In our South Indian cooking, we make many dishes with yellow pumpkins. These are highly nutritious and strong in Vitamin A and other vitamins but have a low calorie count. This gives them many health benefits.

Yellow Pumpkin is called Manjal Poosinikai or Parangikai in Tamil, Kaddu in Hindi, Sihi Kumbalkai in Kannada, and Duddhi in my mother tongue, Konkani.

 I use yellow pumpkins in my menus from time to time. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for Yellow Pumpkin Kootu, Mathanga Pulinkari, and Ash Gourd Pumpkin Coconut Stew.

Today's recipe is for an easy to make yet delicious side dish. I have adapted this from Yellow Pumpkin Dry Curry from Rak's Kitchen. 

You can either cube or slice the yellow pumpkin. I prefer to slice them for this dish. The addition of coconut oil as the last step enhances the taste of the dish.  

We enjoyed this as a side dish with steamed rice and rasam.

Ingredients:-

• Yellow Pumpkin, 200 grams,
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut Oil, 2 tsp for drizzling at the end 

To Be Ground To A Coarse Paste:-

• Fresh Coconut Gratings,  1/4 cup
• Byadgi Red Chillies, 3
• Cumin Seeds, 3/4 tsp
• Small Onions, 4, peeled and roughly chopped

For The Seasoning :-

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves,  a few 
• Oil, 1 tbsp 

Method:-

Wash and peel the pumpkin, discarding the inner core and seeds, 

Slice the pumpkin into thin strips or cube them as per your preference. Keep aside 

In a small mixer jar, grind together the coconut gratings, red chillies, cumin seeds, and baby onions on pulse mode adding 1/4 cup of water to a coarse paste . Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a thick bottomed kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the urad dal and sauté till it changes colour

Then add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

To this add the sliced pumpkin and sauté for 1 minute

Add turmeric powder, salt and the prepared coarse paste and a little water and mix well

Cover and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes till the pumpkin gets well cooked stirring from time to time 

(Take care to see it don't get overcooked as pumpkin gets cooked fast) 

Cook till the water evaporates completely

Lastly, drizzle with coconut oil

Serve Yellow Pumpkin Dry Curry as a side dish with steamed rice and rasam