Pumpkin is available throughout the year in Delhi/NCR, though most of the time, it is the green pumpkin. The red variety is rarely available in the organic market, but plentifully available in non-organic wet markets. When I started to subscribe to an organic vegetable basket from a farmer friend, I was overloaded with pumpkins. It was a challenge discovering new recipes using this vegetable. And in the process, I discovered several interesting recipes. This recipe is one of them. It requires the red pumpkin (bright orange, really).

Ingredients
500 gms pumpkin (kadhu, parangikai), cut into small cubes
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried red chillies
1 sprig curry leaves
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi, manjal podi)
For The Masala
1/4 cup grated coconut
2 tbsp white sesame seeds (til, ellu)
2 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
Method
Add the coconut, sesame seeds, dried red chillies and cumin seeds (mentioned under “For The Masala”) to a blender
Add 1/2 cup water and grind to a coarse paste
Set aside
Heat a wok and add cumin seeds
When they begin to splutter, add the dried red chillies and curry leaves
Roast for a few seconds
Add the cubed pumpkin
Add 1/2 cup water, salt and turmeric powder
Cover and cook on medium flame for 6-7 minutes
Add in the ground paste and cook for a couple of minutes more
Remove from flame and serve hot with steamed red/brown rice
Enjoy!