Sumukha Ravishankar

South Indian style Curried Pumpkin
3 cups of pealed and cubed pumpkin
2 long green chilies split length wise
1 cup tap water
1/4 inch piece of fresh ginger grated
salt to taste
pinch of Turmeric powder
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of split yellow peas (dry)
1/4 cup of dry un-roasted shelled peanuts
1 tbsp of fresh or dry unsweetened grated coconut
a few springs of curry leaves
1 tsp chopped cilantro (optional)

heat a deep dish pan, add one cup of water, Turmeric, salt, ginger and cubed pumpkin. let the water come to boil, close the pan and bring down the flame to low. cook the pumpkins until just done and the water is evaporated.

In a separate non-stick pan, heat oil, when the oil is quite hot, all the mustard seeds, The seeds starts to splutter, add the dry split peas, peanuts, green chili and curry leaves. roast for 1 minute in medium high until the peanuts are golden, add the coconut and for 1/2 a minutes let the coconut roast in low flame. stir constantly.

now add the cooked pumpkin, give it a stir. it is all right if some of the pumpkin pieces are mashed up. roast the curry for a minute or two. garnish with cilantro. and serve.

This is a south Indian style curried pumpkin dish, mildly flavored. One may add more green chilies and may also add a pinch of asaphoetida (if one knows what it is and likes the flavor) along with the coconut.