I never liked Pumpkin as a child, until I was 12 years old when I went to a wedding in Agra and they had this curried pumpkin sabji on the menu.
I loved the slightly sweet taste of the pumpkin, sweetened with sugar or jaggery, seasoned with heat from the chillies, and with tartness from the raw mango powder, tempered with tangy, and slight herbal bitterness from hint of Fenugreek seeds.
I came home and told my mom that I have to replicate this recipe. My mom who always encouraged me to try new things, readily helped me assemble everything together.
From memory of my taste I cooked this side dish without adding any onions of garlic and I was so proud that it came out tasting exactly same as the one that I tasted at the wedding.
Since then I always have been making this dish especially after Halloween here when the pumpkins are in abundance here.
However this year somehow, I did not and then I saw yellow and green pumpkin pumpkin at the local Indian grocer, so it reminded me to make this and post this on my blog.
Here is my recipe:
Ingredients:
* 2 pounds of yellow or white pumpkin (I used both) seeds removed, cut into 1" cubes (remove skin as you prefer)
* Water to boil/cook the pumpkin
* 1/4 cup of cooking oil (preferably Mustard oil for this recipe)
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 pods of dry red chillies
* 1 and half tsp fenugreek seeds
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 1 tsp on black mustard seeds
* 1/4 tsp of asafetida powder
* 1 tsp turmeric powder
* 2 tablespoons of Coriander powder
* 2 tsp red chilli powder
* 2 tablespoons of mango powder
* 1/4 cup of brown sugar (you can use granulated sugar or Jaggery)
* Salt to taste
* Fresh Cilantro leaves chopped for garnish
Method:
* Boil and cook the skinned and cubed pumpkin until tender.
* Drain some of the water, leaving about 1/4 cup of water in the pumpkin.
* Heat the oil in a pan.
* When oil is hot add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fenugreek seeds.
* When these crackles and turn light brown add asafetida, bay leaf and red chilli pepper pods.
* Stir for 15 sec and add all the dry spices and brown sugar.
* Mix well by stirring for few seconds.
* Add cooked pumpkin, season with salt.
* Toss with wooden spoon until everything is well incorporated.
* Cook for 2-3 min.
* Garnish with Cilantro leaves.
* Serve hot with Chapti, or Naan or Puri (recipes on this blog)
Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.
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