Pumpkin curry with coconut cumin gravy/ Sihi kumbala Kalasu/ Jeerige Bendi

Pumpkin suits best in making of spicy sambhar, palya and even payasa/ kheer and it is naturally sweeter in taste. It is a nutritious vegetable and is very rich in vitamin A and other.

Today, I am posting the recipe of a traditional curry from my native place which is Sihi kumbala kalasu or pumpkin in cumin flavored coconut gravy!

Preparation time: 10 minutes (excludes soaking time of chickpeas)

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

Pumpkin pieces (roughly chopped) – 2 cups, about ½ of a small pumpkin

White chickpeas (soaked in water overnight) – ½ cup (optional)

Freshly grated coconut –½ cup

Cumin seeds – 1.5 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Jaggery – 1-2 tbsp (adjust to your taste)

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Dry red chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method:

• Wash and soak white chickpeas (or channa) overnight. Wash couple of times and drain water completely.
• Add little salt and water, pressure cook the soaked chickpeas for 2-3 whistles. Set aside until pressure releases.
• Cut pumpkin into small cubes. Need not peel the skin and use tender one to make this curry.
• Now, boil the chopped vegetables with little water. Add salt, jaggery, red chilli powder to it.
• When it is half cooked, add already cooked chickpeas. Boil well until vegetable cooked soft.
• Meanwhile, grind grated coconut, cumin seeds to smooth paste using a mixer jar. Add water as required.
• Add this coconut paste to cooked vegetable. Combine and boil well.
• Switch off the heat after boiling for 5 minutes.
• Prepare a seasoning / tadka of mustard seeds, minced dry red chilli and curry leaves in coconut oil. On spluttering, add it to the curry.
• Serve with rice and ghee or with mild flavored rice.

Notes:

• Chickpeas, an optional ingredient can be eliminated.
• As tender the pumpkin picked, tastier the curry.
• Other vegetables like snake gourd / bottle gourd / Ridge gourd can be used in making this. Channa (chickpeas) should not be added in case of these vegetables.
• This curry is very mild and less spiced and usually made sweeter. You can adjust the sweet level as you like.