Pumpkin with Black Chickpeas - Pumpkin Kootu

The Medical opinion in the US is that pain can be cured by eating a lot of medications. But is dulling the pain the motive or curing the underlying condition? Eating good good is perhaps the only real option we have on our hands. Eating good requires some planning, some control and some work but it is possible and your body will be happier for it. I do not believe hast and fast rules regarding eating without flexibility. But if you try eating good 75% of the time in a day is by far better than trying to do it 100% and failing. This article - 'Our Dangerous Fear of Pain', gives some idea about the overuse of pain killers.

If you have not guessed by now, pumpkins is my favorite vegetable now. I had saved a few from the summer and they are delicious any way they are cooked. So when I come across a recipe with pumpkins I give it a try pretty soon.

This recipe on maayeka - Kale Chane Aur Kaddu Ki Sabzi had 2 of my favorite ingredients pumpkin and black chickpeas. I modified the recipe a little bit to suit our tastes.



One of my favorite combinations of vegetables.

Peel, clean and cut the pumpkin into cubes, cook the chickpeas and set aside.
In a wide mouthed pan, heat oil and add the seasonings, followed by the onions, saute till the onions are translucent. Then add the pumpkin pieces.
Blend the paste ingredients to a fairly smooth paste.
Add in the tamarind extract and cooked chickpeas. Let the pumpkin get half cooked.
Add in the coconut paste and cook till the moisture has been absorbed.

The simplest of the curries is probably the best in terms of taste. The freshest ingredients make anything taste great.

Pumpkin with Black Chickpeas - Pumpkin Kootu
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 4 cups of cubed pumpkin
2. 1 1/2 cups of dried black chickpeas
3. 1/4 cup of onions
4. 3 garlic cloves diced
5. 1/2 cup of tamarind extract
6. seasonings: curry leaves, 1/4 tsp of mustard seeds and cumin seeds
7. salt to taste
8. 2 tsp of oil
For the paste
9. 1/4 cup of grate fresh or frozen coconut
10. 4 green chilies
11. 1/2 inch piece of ginger
12. handful of coriander leaves
13. cumin seeds a pinch
14. few coriander seeds
15. few peppercorn

Method

1. Cook the black chick peas. I used an Instant Pot and cooked for 8 minutes.
2. Cut, peel and remove the seeds from the pumpkin and cut into cubes.
3. In a wide mouthed pan, heat oil add the seasonings and when the mustard seeds pops add the onions and garlic and saute the onions till translucent.
4. Add in the pumpkin pieces and let it cook.
5. In the meantime make a paste of the ingredients under 'For the Paste' to a fairly smooth paste.
6. When the pumkpin is half cooked, add in the cooked chick peas and the tamarind extract. Let it come to a boil.
7. Add in the paste, salt and 1/4 cup of water and let it finish cooking. Let the sauce thicken and turn off the heat.

The curry can be eaten with rice or some soft chapathis.



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