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Succulent Gujarati Pumpkin

By Kurma Dasa on 1 Oct 2009
Succulent Gujarati Pumpkin is excellent served with hot chapatis.

This dish proves just how delicious pumpkin can be if teamed up with the correct flavour partners.

The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for “large melon".

The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, “pumpkin".

Succulent Gujarati Pumpkin is excellent served with hot chapatis. Makes enough for 6 persons.

  • 2 tablespoons oil or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ½ teaspoon yellow asafetida powder
  • 1 kg pumpkin, cut 1.75cm cubes
  • 1 cup water, 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1½ teaspoons jaggery or brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped

    Heat a wok or deep saute pan over moderate heat. Add the oil or ghee, and when slightly hot, add the fenugreek seeds. Fry them until they turn one or two shades darker. Be careful not to darken them too much, or they will turn bitter.

    Add the yellow asafetida powder, saute momentarily, splash in a little water to cool the pan, then add the pumpkin, water, salt, turmeric, chili, and coriander powder.

    Stir, then cover, raise the heat, bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 or 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender, preferably with a little liquid left in the pan.

    Add the sweetener and lemon juice, fold through, then remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.