Sweet Pumpkin Kuzhambu

Ingredients:

Sweet Pumpkin – 1 kg
Water – 1 1/2 cups
Salt to taste
Jaggery – 1 1/2 tablespoon
Red Chili Powder – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder  – 1/4 teaspoon
Tamarind Extract (Thick) – 1 tablespoon

For Grinding:

Cooking Oil – 2 teaspoons
Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya Seeds) – 1 tablespoon
Benagl Gram (Channa Dal) – 1 tablespoon
Cumin (Jeera) – 1/2 teaspoon
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Seeds) – 1/2 teaspoon
Dry Red Chilies – 6
Peppercorns – 1/2 teaspoon
Curry Leaves – 6
Asafoetida (Hing) Paste
Coconut – 1/4 cup

For Seasoning –

Cooking Oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
Curry Leaves – 5
Dry Red Chili – 1

Method:

1. In a small pan, heat little oil and roast all the ingredients mentioned in ‘For Grinding’ separately. Set the flame to medium while roasting so that you do not burn any ingredient. Let the ingredients cool down completely.
2. Cut sweet pumpkin into cubes. I prefer it with peel. If you do not like the peel, you can discard the peel.
3. Take pumpkin pieces, water, salt, jaggery, red chili powder, turmeric powder and tamarind extract in a pot. Cook until the pumpkin pieces turn soft but not mushy.
4. Meanwhile using little water, blend the roasted ingredients into smooth paste.
5. Add the blended paste to the cooked pumpkin pieces. Add water (approx. a cup) to adjust the consistency – it should not be very thick. Let it simmer for 7-8 minutes. Turn off the heat
6. To prepare seasoning, heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chili pieces. When the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add this to the simmering kuzhambu. Turn off the heat.
7. Serve hot with rice and ghee.