Bhopla Sabzi / Pumpkin Dry Curry

A simple recipe with the humble Pumpkin / Bhopla / Kadhdhu / Maththan / manjal poosani / parangikai

Ingredients :

1. Pumpkin - 750 gm
2. Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp
3. Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
4. Garlic pods - 3 nos (big)
5. Ginger - 2" piece
6. Curry Leaves - 5 nos.
7. Dried Red Chilli - 1 No. (pandi mirch)
8. Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch
9.  Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Red chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
12. Cumin powder - less than 1/4 tsp
13. Grated coconut - 1 tbsp (optoinal)
14. Salt to taste

 Procedure :

• Wash, peel and dice the pumpkin into cubes

• Crush the garlic pods and ginger using a pestle / stone

• Wash and pat dry the curry leaves

•  Heat oil in a pan, Add Cumin seeds. when they start splutter, add crushed ginger and garlic, curry leaves and saute till raw smell goes. 

• Add a pinch of asafoetida powder, coriander powder and cumin powder, fry for 30 seconds.

•  Throw in the pumpkin cubes 

• Add Turmeric powder, Red Chilli Powder, Salt. Mix well.

•  Keep it covered and cook, Mix in between gently to prevent sticking to the pan.

•  When the cubes are tender, add grated coconut at this stage in raw or roasted form. I didn't use coconut today so presented the simplest form of it here :-)

• The subzi is ready to be relished with Chapathi / rice / curd rice 

Padi kolam 31

design 31

Wet rice flour ( maa kolam)

Kurukku Kaalan

A tongue tickling recipe from God's Own Country which will make you crave for more and  more. This is one of the items served during a Onam Feast. Sour curd is used and it is boiled and reduced till thick. Hence the name kurukku  kaalan (kurukku - reduced). Whether it is milk or curd / buttermilk, when reduced they make the dish even more aromatic and interesting in taste.

In the olden days, left over curd is collected in a separate vessel which turns sour and then used for this recipe.  Kachchati (veseel made out of stone) is used to prepare it. The love & care our mothers & grandmas took in preparing it gives it a heavenly taste. That taste is unbeatable and is missing in today's kaalan made on stove top using stainless steel vessels mm....................Mira going nostalgic!

The way the Kaalan making process was described by the elders in the family always make my mouth water and crave to have some immediately right from my childhood days!

Let's get into kaalan making!

Vegetables that can be used for this recipe :- Raw Banana, Elephant Yam, Ashgourd (Kachcha kela / suran / white bhopla) [Vazhakka, Chenai, Elavan] . You may use any one or combo of all. I used Elephant yam for this recipe.

Ingredients :-

1. Elephant Yam - 1 cup
2. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Sour Beaten curd - 2.5 cup
4. Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
6. Peppercorn - 1 tsp
7. Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
8. Green chillies - 2 nos (or as preferred)
9. Dried Red Chillies - 2 Nos.
10. Curry Leaves - two sprigs
11. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
12. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Procedure :

• Peel and cut the yam into cubes

•  Wash well to remove any sand particle that may remain 

• Transfer to a thick bottomed cooking vessel

•  Beat the sour curd well and keep ready

• Dry roast fenugreek seeds tilll they release nice aroma. 

• Cut the dry red chillies into two (or you may retain it whole)

•  Grind together Grated Coconut, roasted fenugreek seeds, Green Chillies, Black Peppercorns and 6-7 nos. curry leaves together into a nice & thick paste adding little water. 

• Use medium to slow flame in the cooking process which will give good taste to the dish.

• To the yam, add turmeric powder, salt and water that is enough to submerge the yam cubes and cook till the water dries up.

• Now add the beaten curd and cook on low flame and keep stirring in between. Cook till the curd level is reduced and the gravy becomes thick.

• At this stage, add the ground coconut masala, adjust the salt and mix well. Bring to boil till foam forms on top.

• Remove from heat.

• Tempering :- Heat coconut oil, add Mustard seeds. When the seeds starts spluttering, add dried red chillies, 8 nos. curry leaves and add this to the prepared kurukku kaalan.

 Yummy kurkku Kaalan is ready!

This is served as a side dish for feasts (sadhya) but can also be mixed with plain rice and had. I enjoy it even with dosai and chapathis. So why wait for special feast time, make and enjoy it at any time of the year like me :-)

No season or reason for a foodie to enjoy good food!