Pumpkin Coconut Curry

Pumpkin Coconut curry is an amazing dish; pumpkin cooked in a yummy fresh grated coconut, poppy seed and cashew nut paste, spices cooked in coconut milk. This is an extremely flavourful dish having the sweetness from the coconut and pleasant tinge of spiciness or heat from the green chillies. This curry is mildly spiced yet yummy to eat, nice creamy texture and delicate flavours. Goes well with rice or chapatti! 

Pumpkin Pumpkin is from the gourd like squash family. They are typically a nice orange or yellow in color and have many creases running from the stem to the bottom. The outer shell is thick and pulpy with seeds inside. The North Americans generally refers to Pumpkin as winter squash. Pumpkins are a squash like fruit ranging from a small to very large size which may also weigh about 1000 pounds. The color of pumpkins is derived from the orange pigments abundant in them.

The main nutrients are lutein and both alpha and beta carotene, the latter of which generates vitamin A in the body. In southern India as coconut is in abundance, they add fresh grated coconut to the pumpkin curry. Pumpkins are very versatile in their uses for cooking. Most parts of the pumpkin are edible, including the fleshy shell, the seeds, the leaves, and even the flowers.

In the United States, pumpkin is a very popular Halloween and Thanksgiving staple. Although most people use store-bought canned pumpkin, homemade pumpkin purée can serve the same purpose. When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted. In North America, it is a very important, traditional autumn harvest crop, usually eaten mashed or prepared as soups, purees or a variety of pies and pudding during the American Thanksgiving day.

In Mexico and the U.S., the seeds are often roasted and eaten as a snack. Pumpkin is one of the most nutritional foods available year round. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, both the flesh and seeds of the pumpkin provide many health-boosting nutrients. Pumpkin is highly nutrient in fiber, Vitamin C & E, potassium, magnesium and is low in fat and calories and rich in disease-fighting.

The alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants found in pumpkin and are pro-vitamin A carotenoids, meaning the body converts them to vitamin A. Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and ensures proper immune function. Fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol levels, protect the body against heart disease, control blood sugar levels, promote healthy digestion, and plays a role in weight loss.

Coconut Milk Coconut milk is a creamy, rich thick liquid made from the meat of mature coconuts. It is a popular beverage in the Philippines, the Caribbean and anyplace where coconut trees are abundant. Coconut milk has the aroma of a coconut and a slightly sweet taste. It is excellent creamy milk that is easy to digest, simple to make and contains an abundance of nutrients.

You can drink it plain, use it for cooking or blend it with smoothies to benefit from its nutritional value. Coconut milk is good source of Vitamin C, E and many B vitamins. It is also rich in magnesium, potassium, phosphorous and iron. Magnesium is responsible for many biochemical functions in the body, including regulating the heart’s rhythm and supporting the function of nerve cells.

Recipe of Pumpkin Coconut Curry:

Ingredients:

1. Pumpkin, pieces              -       250 gms


2. Onions, chopped             -       1 no


3. Fenugreek seeds              -       ¼ tsp


4. Cumin seeds                    -       1 tsp


5. Mustard seeds                 -       1 tsp


6. Green chillies, chopped   -       3 nos


7. Salt                                     -       to taste


8. Coconut, grated               -       ½ cup


9. Cashew nuts                    -       50 gms


10. Poppy seeds                     -       2 tbsp


11. Curry leaves                     -       2 sprigs


12. Coconut milk                   -       ½ cup


13. Sugar                                  -       1 tsp


14. Tamarind juice                -       2 tbsp


15. Oil                                      -       2 tbsp

Direction:

1. Heat the pan and add poppy seeds, cashew nuts and roast them.


2. Add fresh grated coconut, sauté and add chopped green chillies. Remove and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.


3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, when it becomes hot, add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, chopped onions, salt and curry leaves.


4. Saute till the onion change the color and then add pumpkin pieces and mix well.


5. Add poppy seeds and coconut paste, little water, mix and cook till the pumpkin is half cooked.


6. Add coconut milk, mix and cover the pan with a lid and cook for few minutes.


7. Add sugar, tamarind juice and again cook for some time. Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off the flame.


8. Serve with hot lemon rice and carrot kosamalli.

These are some of the most exceptional dishes made with coconut. Do try these delectable and appetizing dishes. You could also get hold of some of your favorite recipes at: www.vahrehvah.com

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Enjoy Cooking! Keep Smiling…