Sweet, Sour and Spicy Pumpkin Curry (kootu)

The past few months I have rediscovered the pleasures of eating good pumpkin. I am not talking about Halloween pumpkins y'all. These are what we call, parangikai, poosanikai or arasanikai. There are quite a few varieties, ones with orange and green skin, ones that become completely orange on the outside and beautifully ridged but have a sweet smooth orange flesh. Whichever variety you choose they all taste sweet when cooked. In India these are available during the December, January months during the Pongal festival.

Here in the US, they come to fruit during late September through early November. Kept in a cool dry place I mean whole they can last for 2-3 months.

Anyway when we visited India, my MIL's cook who usually comes to help her out when we visit had made this delicious, sweet-sour-spicy pumpkin curry that was hard to stop eating. I did not see the cook after that so could not get the recipe from her but this is a recreation from my taste memory.

Cut the pumpkin into pieces. Saute the whole spices and set aside.
Take the sauteed spices in a blender along with coconut and blend to a coarse paste. Have the tamarind extract ready.
In a saute pan, heat oil, add the seasonings and saute the onions till translucent.
Add the pumpkins pieces, saute for a few minutes and then add the spice paste along with the tamarind extract.
Cook till the pumpkins become soft and the desired consistency is reached.

Serve with steamed rice. The sweetness from the pumpkin and the spice and sourness from the curry make this delicious. If you do not get pumpkin butternut squash or acorn squash will be good substitutes.

Sweet Sour Spicy Pumpkin Curry
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1/2 pumpkin cut into 1/2 inch cubes (skin can be peeled or left on)
2. 1/2 cup chopped red onions
3. 1/4 cup of tamarind extract from a small inch piece of tamarind or 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
4. seasonings: curry leaves, mustard and cumin seeds
5. 1 tsp oil
6. salt to taste
7. 2 tsp jaggery
For the spice paste
8. 2 tsp of coriander seeds
9. 1/2 tsp pepper corns
10. 3 red chilies (i used fresh) (if you use dry chilies dry roast)
11. 1/4 cup of grated coconut fresh or frozen

Method

1. In a small saute pan dry roast the coriander seeds, pepper corn and if using red chilies roast it as well.
2. Take it in a blender jar, add in the grated coconut and if using red chilies add that and add a bit of water blend it a slightly coarse paste.
3. In a wide mouthed pan add oil when hot add in the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When mustard seeds starts to pop add the curry leaves.
4. Add in the onions and saute till they turn translucent.
5. Add in the cut pumpkin and saute for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add in the blended paste,tamarind extract and salt and cook for another 4 minutes.
7. By now the pumpkins should have cooked else cook for a few more minutes till the pumpkins are soft and the gravy has the required consistency. *
8. Note:I do not add sugar because of the sweetness of the pumpkin. If you need it a bit more sweet add the sugar.

Like what you are reading? Subscribe!