Tag: sweet pumpkin

Homemade Pumpkin Puree/Preserve:

October 29, 2018

Pumpkin is usually considered as fall / Winter vegetable even though it grows all year round without any issues. Pumpkin vine needs least attention compared to growing other vegetables. It is low in calories, high in anti-oxidants, Vitamins, minerals as well as high on natural source of Beta carotene.

I normally make use of pumpkin in many forms and one such form is Pumpkin Puree. When home grown, organic pumpkin is available, it is an awesome way to store the goodness and use it as needed in your cooking from making pastas to baking.

Usually puree can be made by using two methods. Either on stove top or by baking. I normally prefer stove top method. In this method, I don’t even remove the outer skin. In this way, we can retain the added goodness.

How I make is –

Ingredients;

Pumpkin – 1 kg

Water – 1 cup

Method:

-Wash pumpkin, remove inner core and seed part.

-Chop pumpkins into bite size pieces.

-Take one tawa, spread all the pieces and sprinkle water and cook those pieces until done.

-When pumpkin pieces are well cooked, water also evaporates.

-Cool and grind this into puree.

-Store this in a freezer by putting it in an air tight container and use whenever it is needed.

Pumpkin/Cheenikayi Kalasu:

October 25, 2018

Pumpkin Kalasu is a traditional recipe of our community. It is a semi solid, sweetish coconut based curry, which goes very well with hot rice or Chapati.

Usually we use tender, greenish sweet pumpkin for this curry, paired with white Kabuli chana.

Ingredients:

Green sweet pumpkin – ½

White chana – 1 cup

Coconut – 1 bowl

Cumin – 1 tsp

Red chilli – 1 to 2

Salt

Jaggery

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Seasoning:

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Red chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 1 string

Method:

  • Soak white chana for 7 to 8 hours or overnight.
  • Cut pumpkin into half; remove inner soft pith and seed. Chop this into small pieces with skin intact.
  • Wash soaked chana, put fresh water and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles.

  • When pressure relieves, open the lid and add chopped pumpkin, salt, red chilli powder and jaggery. If needed add little more water and cook until pumpkin is done.
  • Now grind coconut, cumin and red chilli into fine paste by adding required amount of water.
  • Add this masala to cooked veggie. Adjust the consistency by adding water. Consistency should be semi solid. Boil this and add seasoning.
  • For seasoning heat coconut oil, mustard, red chilli and curry leaves.
  • Enjoy this curry with hot rice or Chapati.