My basket from my organic farmer is a real boon. But, there is a real challenge in concocting different dishes using the same vegetables. Take, for example, the striped green pumpkin. I get this every single week of the year. Seems my farmer has planted loads of it. I get tired of making the same vegetable and dish every week. Oftentimes, I shudder to think that I must make this vegetable one more time. Don’t get me wrong – I love pumpkin. It is just that having the same vegetable every week kind of makes one tired of it. I therefore have to look for new and exciting dishes from the various regions of the country.
This Maharashtrian dish turned out really lovely. Now, with one more recipe under my belt, I feel less intimidated by green pumpkin. The dish itself was outstanding. I have resolved to repeat it often.
You can use any variety of pumpkin. I generally do not peel my vegetables since most of the nutrients are in the skin. In fact, this dish tastes best with the skin.
This recipe is inspired by Amit Dassana.

Ingredients
300 gms striped green pumpkin (or any other variety)
3-4 garlic pods, crushed
1/4 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (sarson, kadugu)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (sabut jeera, jeeragam)
1 sprig curry leaves
1 dry red chili, broken (or 1 green chili, chopped)
A pinch of asafoetida (hing, perunkayam)
A pinch of turmeric powder (haldi, manjal podi)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
Rinse the pumpkin and chop into largish cubes
Set aside
Heat a wok and add mustard and cumin seeds
When they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves, green (or red) chili, garlic and asafoetida
Add the pumpkin
Add turmeric powder and salt
Mix well
Reduce the flame to low
Cover the wok with a rimmed lid and pour water on the lid (the water creates steam in the wok and cooks the pumpkin)
Ensure that the water does not dry up on the lid (if need be, add more water)
Stir the pumpkin occasionally
Once the pumpkin is cooked and tender, add the grated coconut
Mix well
Remove the wok from flame and keep covered for about 5 minutes
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed red/brown rice or Indian flat breads
Enjoy!